Not like other girls
by brionybee
Summary: Maddie Clarke is Landry's twin sister. She has an effect on Tim. She's not impressed by him. She doesn't throw herself at him. She's not like other girls. TimOC
1. Chapter 1

****Chapter one**

Maddie grinned as her brother threw himself around on the stage to her left. She was propped up on the high chair of a small table, her fingers resting lightly around a bottle of Budweiser, as the inaudible screaming from the microphone resounded around the hall. She glanced around, spotting three or four people standing around, staring at the stage like zombies. Her gaze fell on the newcomer, his long hair and muscular swagger instantly recognisable. Tim Riggins. She frowned at his arrival, wondering what he could possibly be doing here. Her attention was again drawn to her brother, as they finished their first set, and he bounded from the stage, heading towards an applauding Tim.

She finished her bottle, setting it down as Nick placed another in front of her. She grinned, knowing that he could get into trouble if anyone bothered to notice, and he sent her a wink before heading back to the bar. She could hear tidbits of her brother's conversation with the fullback, Tim getting suckered into staying for the next set, and to her horror, she saw that Landry was leading him to her table. 'No, no, no, don't bring the brainless jock here!' she screamed at him in her head, setting her bottle down with a soft thud.

"This is my sister Maddie, you can sit here for the next set, it's nice and close. Don't forget, you can't just stand there, you gotta throw your head around like this-," he demonstrated, flicking his head around. Tim dodged her brother's flailing head and gave a small laugh as Landry walked away, before shoving his hands in his pockets and giving Maddie a small smile. She gestured to the seat opposite, and he sat down, noting the bottle in her hand.

"They let you drink here?" he asked, glancing towards the bar.

"Bartender's a friend. He lets a few things slide," she replied before calling out, "Nick!" and shaking her bottle in the air a little.

Nick wandered over, bottle in hand, and as she pointed to Tim his gaze settled on the boy, a frown crossing his forehead. "How old's your friend, Maddie?" his gruff voice asked, and she just smiled up at him, a mischievous glint in her eyes. He sighed and shook his head, placing the bottle in front of Tim, before wandering back to the bar, muttering something about her getting him into trouble. Tim grinned at the exchange, raising the bottle in silent thanks before downing a third of the amber liquid.

They watched as Landry flitted across the stage, trying to rev up the band.

He cleared his throat, his manners getting the best of him, and held his hand out across the table. "I'm Tim R-"

"Riggins," she cut off, slipping her small hand his in large one, "I know. We have some classes together."

His eyebrows drew together in concentration, "We do? Which ones?" She took a swallow of beer, before glancing around the bar again.

"Uh...all of them," she replied, locking her eyes to his.

A look of guilt and a little embarrassment crossed his face and his hand came up to rub the back of his neck. "Oh...um...look, I -"

"Don't stress, Tim, it's no big," she smiled, wincing as more inaudible screaming greeted them.

She was concentrating on her brother when she realised that Tim was asking her a question, but she couldn't hear anything over the music. "What?" she yelled, trying to raise her voice above the screaming.

He set his beer down, shifting his seat around the table, sitting with his head inches away from hers. "I was just wondering how I never noticed you in class..." he repeated with a grin.

"Probably because I'm not blonde, wearing barely nothing and throwing myself at you," she replied, the smile on her face taking the sting out of her words.

He chuckled, nodding his head in agreement, "Yeah, that'd probably have somethin' to do with it..." She grinned, motioning for two more beers, and they settled into watch the band, their heads bobbing to the music.

Maddie's ears were ringing twenty minutes later when the band finally wound down, and Landry thanked the scatter of people that showed up. Tim had stopped at the bar on his way back from the bathroom, and was involved in an animated conversation with Nick, so she wandered across to the stage to help the boys pack up. She was winding up the last of the cords when Tim returned, motioning to a speaker. "Where's this go?" he asked Landry, who packing away his guitar.

"Um, everything but the instruments go in mine and Maddie's cars. I store all this stuff in our garage", he replied, clicking his case shut, and grabbing another speaker.

Maddie picked up his guitar and the cords, and made her way out the door, crossing to her truck which was currently parked beside Landry's car. Placing his guitar on the front seat, she moved to the back, pulling the tailgate down, giving the boys better access. Soon they had packed away all of the gear, and the guys had left, leaving Landry, Maddie and Tim standing by the cars.

"You guys need a hand offloading this stuff at your place?" Tim asked from where he was leaning against Landry's car. Maddie shook her head, throwing her bag in her truck.

"Nah, our dad will give us a hand," she replied, with a smile.

"No wait," Landry stopped her, "Dad's workin' late tonight, so yeah, if you don't mind, your help would be great..."

Tim simply nodded before heading across the lot to a black truck. "I'll follow you," he called over his shoulder.

Landry's grin could have lit up the darkest of holes, and he flinched when his sister socked him in the shoulder. "What?" he asked, poking her back.

"Why would you invite Tim Riggins to our place? You really want that dumb jock hangin' around?" she asked, opening her door.

"He's not dumb, Maddie, he just...lazy", he replied, walking around to the driver's side of his car. "Just give him a chance, ok?"

"Whatever," she replied rolling her eyes as Tim pulled up beside Landry's car. She climbed into hers and pulled out of the parking lot, followed closely by the boys. She couldn't understand why Tim was willing to hang around. She knew her brother would appreciate his friendship, and the perks that it could bring, but she needed to find out Tim's angle. She didn't want her brother being used.

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	2. Chapter 2

****Chapter two**

They pulled up at the front of their house, Landry taking his place in the driveway, while Maddie took the street. Tim pulled up behind her, making his way to her car, pulled down the tailgate and began unloading. She joined him, grabbing the smaller speakers, while Landry unlocked the garage, and showed Tim where everything went. It wasn't long before everything was stored away, and Landry walked Tim back to his truck.

"Thanks for the help, man, much appreciated," he said, shaking Tim's hand.

"Least I could do," he replied, running a hand through his hair, "actually, I needed to ask you something..." Maddie tensed, reaching for her bag on the seat. Here is comes! "Uh, would mind helping me with an assignment, again?" he asked dropping his gaze to the ground.

It was lucky they couldn't see her, because Maddie's jaw almost hit the seat. Tim Riggins asking for academic assistance? Again? She didn't even know that Landry had helped him before!

She snuck a glance at her brother, who looked as dumbfounded as she felt. "Um...yeah, sure. Uh, if you're not against workin' on weekends, we could get started tomorrow, if you want..."

To their surprise, Tim nodded. "Yeah, there's no parties this weekend or anything, so why not?" Maddie gaped at him through the back window of her truck, unsure if she had just heard correctly. Had Tim Riggins just agreed to do homework on a weekend?

"Ok, then," Landry began, as Maddie joined them at the back of the truck, "well, did you want to come here, say 2 - 2:30 tomorrow?" Again, Tim nodded, walking to his truck and climbing in.

"'Night," he called through the open window before pulling into the street.

Landry and Maddie watched him go, confused looks on each face, before Landry turned to her, his megawatt smile in place. She grinned and shook her head, as they ambled up the driveway. "You _'helping him'_ doesn't actually mean _'you, doing his work for him'_, does it?" she asked, her teeth pulling at her bottom lip.

He turned to her with a frown on his face, "What? Do I look like a rally girl to you?"

She giggled, tucking her hair behind her ear, "Well... you are a little feminine," she teased, grinning as he advanced on her.

"Is that so?" he exclaimed, grabbing her around the waist and throwing her over his shoulder. She shrieked with laughter as he bounded into their house, tickling her side.

The sun was beaming through the curtains when Maddie woke up the next morning, and she couldn't help but smile. She loved summer. She loved the heat. She even had a soft spot for heatwave season. Nothin' like dawdling around Dillon during a heatwave, admiring all the nice, half-naked, tanned male bodies on display. She stretched before climbing out of bed, pulling on her shorts and joining her brother at the table for breakfast. Their mom pottered around the kitchen, cooking bacon, eggs and tomato, and Maddie rubbed her eyes as the aroma made her stomach grumble. Landry heard it, sending her an astonished look before they dissolved into giggles.

After breakfast and chores, Maddie decided to head down to the shops to stock up on a few things, and settled for wearing her sweatpants and a tank, not really caring who saw her in her daggies. It was the weekend! She only made an effort on the weekend if she had to go somewhere special. Pulling her hair into a ponytail, she slipped her feet into flip flops, grabbed her bag and headed out the front door. She pulled into the parking lot, grateful for the fact that it seemed pretty empty. Calling 'good morning' to Phil, the manager, she snatched up a basket and began wandering down each aisle.

She was standing in front of the yogurt, trying to decide on one, when she felt a little heat behind her.

"It's just yogurt, Clarke, not that hard a decision," came the low, smooth voice from next to her ear. She spun around with a gasp, almost falling into the shelf in her haste. His arm shot out, his hand gripping her elbow, and her slight weight against his strong tug sent her straight into his chest.

"Ooof!" she breathed, her hand steadying itself on his waist. Her shocked, flushed face looked up at him, as he smirked down at her.

"If you wanted a hug, Mads, all you had to do was ask," he drawled, a playful gleam in his eye. She looked down at their position, before pulling away and scanning the aisle to see if anyone had noticed.

'Hi Tim," she said softly, turning her flushed face back to the yogurt, and he chuckled, moving to stand beside her. She frowned at him before grabbing a tub, and turned back down the aisle, slightly horrified when he fell into place next to her.

She sent him a questioning look, to which he shrugged before grabbing a packet of crisps from the shelf. "Figure you might as well have some company since we're both here for the same kind of things..." She watched him for a moment, searching for some hidden motive, before shrugging and reaching out to a shelf.

Surprisingly, it was Tim who initiated the small talk, and she found herself relaxing in his presence. They talked about school, Landry, football. He was surprised to learn that she attended every game with Landry and Mrs. Saracen. It was no surprise when he told her how much he loved football, but she was shocked when he confided that he was trying to clean up his act, and hopefully get a football scholarship. That's why he was asking Landry for help. They were stopped repeatedly by people congratulating him on his game Friday night, and by the sixth person, she could see his smile had tightened, his replies to the interruptions becoming a little more abrupt.

"Repetitive, huh?" she asked, motioning to the man that had just left them.

"Football town," came the reply.

After paying for their groceries, Tim walked her out to the truck, opening her door. She was surprised. She certainly hadn't expected him to be a gentleman. He was Tim Riggins, womaniser extraordinaire! She grinned at her thoughts, shaking her head, as he looked at her in question.

"See you later this afternoon," he said, closing her door behind her.

She nodded, rolling down her window. "Thanks for the conversation," she smiled at him from behind the steering wheel, and he grinned, leaning his elbow on her window ledge.

"Yeah, well, you just keep that to yourself, huh? Don't want to scare off the ladies..." He replied with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

She chuckled, backing out of the parking space, and gave a small wave, as Tim made his way to his truck. She had just spent a pleasant morning, having decent conversation with Tim Riggins. Who would've thought?

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	3. Chapter 3

****Chapter three**

Maddie was sitting on the sofa that afternoon when Tim knocked on the door. She expected Landry to answer it, and was surprised when her mom called out to her from the kitchen, elbow deep in flour, "Maddie, sweetie, can you grab the door please?"

She frowned, throwing a glance at her brother, who had his Ipod in and was reading, completely oblivious, and made her way to the door with a sigh. She opened it to find Tim leaning one hand against the frame, a backpack in the other. She was aware of the fact that that the smirk on his face would normally cause teenage girls to faint, but she saw it as arrogance. She couldn't deny that he was good looking, but he obviously knew it, and she didn't really find that attractive.

"Mads", the greeting came out in a low drawl, and her breath caught slightly as she heard the slightly drawn out 'S'. 'Where the hell did that come from?' she thought, mentally kicking herself.

"Tim,' she replied, opening the door wider and stepping aside for him enter. Closing the door behind him, she noticed he was looking at the pictures on the wall. Most girls would have been mortified to have Tim Riggins looking at photos of themselves as kids, but she didn't care. She and Landry had a ball growing up, and the pictures were a testament to that. She loved them.

She led him into the lounge and Landry chose that moment to start singing out loud, quite off key.

"When I was down, I was your clown, ooooohooo, nobody knows it, nobody know ooo ooohs... Hey!" he exclaimed as she pulled the headphones from his ears, his head snapping up to see her step aside, revealing Tim, who was very obviously trying hard not to laugh. Maddie grinned, sitting back on the sofa, as her brother jumped up from his seat, his face bright red. "Oh, uh, hey Tim, I was just, uh..."

"Elton John, huh? Nice choice," came the fullback's reply, the chuckle evident in his voice. He was so interested in the rapidly changing reds of Landry's face, that he didn't see the sharp sideways glance Maddie sent him. Tim knows Elton John? And knows that song? Wow...

Landry gave a nervous laugh, his hand scratching the back of his neck, "Yeah, so anyway. Uh, you wanna chuck your bag on the table and we'll work from there. You want a drink?" he asked, crossing over to the kitchen.

"Yeah, anything's good," Tim replied, taking a seat and pulling his books from his bag.

"Maddie?" Landry called.

"Juice, please," she replied, blowing him a kiss as he tossed the bottle to her.

Their mom walked into the lounge at that moment, and Landry smiled. "Mom, this is Tim, from school. We're working on an assignment..." he started, not sure if Tim wanted everyone to know that he was actually helping him.

"Nice to meet you, ma'am," Tim offered his hand, rising from the table, and again Maddie was dumbfounded at his manners.

Her mom beamed at him, clasping her hand in his. "Lovely to meet you, Tim. Will you be stayin' for dinner? I'm cookin' a roast, and the kids'll tell you, my roast isn't something you want to miss!"

Tim laughed at Landry, who was nodding emphatically in agreement, and ran a hand through his hair. "Uh, well, if it's not gonna be too much trouble, m'am. Sounds great..."

"Settled then. You're not allergic to anything are you?" Tim replied with a shake of his head, and her mom disappeared back into the kitchen.

Maddie frowned, not all that eager to have Tim stay for dinner, and laid back down on the couch. Hitting a button on the remote, she sighed as the movie started.

An hour and a half later, the movie had finished, and Tim's sudden laugh almost made her jump out of her skin. She had forgotten he was even there. She switched off the TV and rose from the couch, raising her hands above her head in a long stretch. She moved to where her brother sat, draping an arm around his neck and resting her chin on his shoulder. "How's it going?" she asked, dropping a kiss on his cheek.

"Not bad," Landry replied, as Tim groaned, his forehead thumping against the tabletop, "Well, for me, anyway," he finished with a laugh, as Tim frowned up at him.

"Guess who's home?" a voice called from the hallway, and soon her father's face appeared from the hallway.

"Hi, honey," her mom smiled, walking out from the kitchen to greet her husband with a hug.

"Hey, daddy," Maddie grinned, kissing him on the way to the kitchen.

"Hiya, baby," he replied, making his way over to the table. "Hey, bubba," he said, ruffling Landry's hair.

"Hey, dad, good to see ya," he replied, fixing his hair, "This is Tim, a friend from school."

"Number 33," her father smiled, holding his hand out.

"Sir," Tim nodded, taking his hand.

Maddie returned to the living room with a beer for her dad, and he smiled as he took it, dropping a kiss to her head before heading to his bedroom. "Have I got time for a shower, hon?" he called.

"You've got about 10 minutes, make it snappy," her mom warned with a smile. "Ok kids, time to clear this off. Would you mind setting the table, please?"

Maddie had to laugh as Tim snapped his book shut, and shoved his gear into his bag, anxious for a break from academia. Landry chuckled as he dropped his books onto the bench, and the three off them headed for the kitchen. Landry grabbed the cutlery, as Maddie pulled the plates from the cupboard and handed them to Tim. He grinned at her, before turning away with a wink, and she shook her head as she reached for the glasses.

Her father returned from the shower just as the food was being placed on the table. They took their seats, and Maddie grinned as her mother patted Tim's hand from her position between Tim and her father, who sat at the head of the table. She snuck a look at Landry, who had also seen the exchange, and he smiled over at her, struggling to keep his chuckle to herself. When she glanced back across the table she noticed Tim was watching her, and she fought to keep her heart beating at a normal pace. She could see how easily he would have women falling at his feet.

Her father cleared his throat, causing her to jump a little and break Tim's gaze, and he held out his hands to begin prayer.

She placed one hand in Landry's, and the other slid into Tim's, who had reached his hand out across the table. She felt small jolt of electricity as his large hand engulfed her smaller one, and when her eyes flew to his, she saw him looking at their hands with a frown on his face. Surely he hadn't felt that, she thought, as she closed her eyes and bowed her head.

"Dear Lord," her father began, "we thank you for the nourishment we are about to receive. Please continue to watch over this family, uh, and Tim, and keep them safe from harm. Amen."

"Amen," she echoed softly, biting her lip as Tim held on to her hand longer than was necessary.

She licked her suddenly dry lips, and avoided his gaze, reaching for the potatoes instead. Dinner was a hoot, with Landry cracking jokes left, right and centre, and Maddie found herself relaxing despite Tim's presence. To her surprise, he contributed a lot to the conversation, and was actually a very funny guy. He was constantly forcing her to alter her opinion of him, and she wasn't sure if she was happy about that. God forbid, she becomes another mindless drone to swoon over him and stroke his probably already enormous ego.

Her mother beamed as Tim leaned back in his seat, a satisfied smile on his face. "Well, Mrs. Clarke, I think I can honestly say that you have ruined my interest in any other roast for the rest of my life. That was amazing," he grinned, patting his stomach.

Her mom was delighted, her chest puffing with pride. "Well thank you, Tim. I'm glad you enjoyed it. It happens every Saturday night, and you are officially more than welcome to join us!"

Maddie's jaw dropped as her knife clanged against the plate. As she recovered she felt Landry nudge her knee under the table. He was rapt that Tim was enjoying himself. Like she said, it meant perks-galore to have Tim as a friend.

After dinner, her mom shooed them away from the kitchen, intent on washing up herself, and her father dropped on to the two-seater, leaving the sofa for the 'kids'. She sat between Landry and Tim, all three of them stretching their legs out on the coffee table. She was acutely aware of Tim's right side resting fully against her left, able to feel every small movement he made, each one sending a tingle through her body. She could have screamed. The effect that Tim had began to have on her senses was a new development, and their current positions were not helping at all. It was going to be a long night.

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	4. Chapter 4

****Chapter four**

The first movie ended, and Maddie grabbed at the chance for a break from Tim, and jumped up, heading to the kitchen to make some popcorn. She paused against the bench for a moment, raking her hands through her hair. She took a few steadying breaths before reaching into the pantry and pulling out a packet. She was leaning on the counter her face close to the microwave, watching the bag inflate, when Tim's voice from the door startled her.

"Don't you know it's dangerous to be that close to a microwave when it's on?" he asked, leaning against the bench opposite, his arms folded across his chest.

"I like to live on the edge," she grinned.

"Did you want something?" she asked, brushing her fringe from her eyes. A slow smirk spread across his face, and she held her breath.

"Just wanted to know if you needed help with anything," he began, pushing off from the counter and moving to stand in front of her, "Well, Mads? Is there anything you need me to do for you?"

She was both repulsed and, to her dismay, a little giddy at his double entendre. Her willpower won out, and she rolled her eyes, crossing her arms across her chest in a defensive manner. "Does that line actually work for you, Tim?" she asked, her voice hard.

"Usually," he replied, unperturbed.

When the microwave dinged, she placed a hand against his chest, pushing him backwards softly, "Save it for your rally girls, Tim. That crap doesn't work on me."

He laughed, holding his hands up in mock surrender, and she couldn't help but grin as he left the kitchen. She poured the popcorn into a bowl, and grabbed the crisps her parents liked. She dropped the bag on her parent's laps as she passed them, before her eyes narrowed as she reached the sofa. Tim had taken his seat again, only this time he had moved a little closer to the centre, leaving a smaller space between he and Landry. His face was a picture of innocence, as she glared down at him, but she could see his lips twitch as she sat down, almost ending up in his lap.

Landry shifted to his side a little to give her more room, but it didn't help much. With the popcorn sitting on her lap, Tim had an excuse to reach across her often, and boy, did he abuse the opportunity. Hand brushing against hers, his arm rubbing her shoulder and his thigh still pressed against hers, was driving her crazy, and she shifted even closer to Landry. Again, it didn't help and she could feel Tim's body lightly shake, as he chuckled at her distress. She sighed, resigning herself to the situation. 'Not much you can do about it now, just relax and enjoy the movie'. Yeah right! Easier said than done.

The end credits had just begun to roll when she heard a light snoring coming from her left. She glanced over to see Tim's head tipped to the side, the heavy rise and fall of his chest signifying slumber. She grinned, and turned to mention it to Landry, but found him asleep as well, leaning on the arm of the sofa. She laughed softly, gaining the attention of her parents, who chuckled at the boys. Her dad rose, and offered his hand to her, pulling her up slowly, so as not to wake them. Her mom grabbed a couple of blankets from the cupboard, draping one over Landry first, then Tim, as Maddie turned the TV off, plunging the room into darkness. With one last look, they all headed off to bed.

Maddie was still giggling as she stripped off her sweatpants and slid under the covers. What an interesting night this turned out to be, she thought as she leaned over to click her lamp off. As she lay there in the darkness, she ran through the recent events, still dumbfounded at the fact that Tim wasn't what she expected, with the exception of his lame pick-up line, of course. She recalled their conversation in the supermarket, where he told her about his quest to score a scholarship, and realised that he must have been serious about it. She shook her head, annoyed at giving it so much thought. She didn't want to be attracted to Tim. He hadn't even known she existed until two nights ago. She had to fight this.

She woke to the sun shining through the cracks of her drapes, and glanced at the clock. She groaned, kicking back the covers, and climbed out of bed, before pulling her shorts on and grabbing her towel from the chair. She showered and then made her way into the kitchen, where her parent's were already making breakfast. "'Morning," she sang, as she grabbed a bowl and a box of cereal from the cupboard, grinning as her dad wrapped his arm around her neck, and dropped a kiss on her forehead.

"Morning, sweetie," they replied, as she put her stuff away, then headed for the lounge. "Wake your brother, would you?" her mom called after her.

She placed her bowl on the table, then rounded the sofa, her hand flying to her mouth to stifle her laugh. Landry was in the same position as last night, but Tim, however, had slumped to his right, his head resting on the couch near Landry's thigh, and for some reason, Landry's hand was splayed against Tim's face. She giggled, tempted to immortalise the moment on camera, but thought the better of it, crouching beside her brother. "Hey," she called, softly shaking his shoulder, "Landry, time to wake up."

His eyes opened, blinking a few times against the sunlight through the window, and focused his eyes on hers. "'Mornin'," he smiled, before sitting up, and taking stock of his position.

His neck was sore from having been pushed at an awkward angle, and he frowned down at his hand, which was still lying across Tim's face. Maddie laughed as she stood up, and moved back to the table. "Well, better than waking up in a spoon with him!" he chuckled, sitting up, and shaking Tim awake.

Tim groaned, and opened his eyes, wondering why the TV was lying on its side. He felt movement beside him, and looked around to see Landry climb off the couch, and head out of the room. It was then that he realised that it was he who was lying on the side, and as he moved to sit up, the ache in his back confirmed it. He stood, reaching his arms high above his head in a long, slow stretch, completely unaware of the gaping look from behind him.

Maddie had grinned at the sound of Tim groaning, as Landry headed for the kitchen. Her hand came to an abrupt stop, her spoon halfway to her mouth, and she couldn't help but stare at Tim stretched, still facing the TV. His t-shirt rose about four inches above his waist, and his jeans dropped lower on his hips, the brown, muscled flesh of his lower back just begging for her touch. It was her own soft moan that broke her from her trance, and she looked back down at her spoon with a shake of her head.

"G'mornin'," he greeted her, his voice husky with sleep, and she couldn't suppress the slight shudder that racked her body.

"Morning," she replied, keeping her eyes riveted to her bowl, not trusting herself to look at him yet.

She waited until he had left the room before smacking her palm against her head. 'Be smart, Maddie!' She resumed her breakfast as Landry sat down with his own, followed closely by Tim. They ate in silence, the boys trying to wake up, Maddie still struggling with bad thoughts, until being interrupted by her mom.

"C'mon kids, don't dawdle, we've got to get to church," she admonished, tidying up the lounge. As her children nodded, she glanced over at Tim. "Are you a Christian, Tim?"

He swallowed hard, before turning his head to look at her. "Uh...not a very good one, ma'am," he replied, causing Landry and Maddie to laugh softly, and she couldn't help but chuckle herself.

"I remember how it was at your age," she smiled, "you should come to church with us, see how you like it," she looked at him, her puppy dog eyes boring into his.

He cleared his throat as Landry snorted. "Uh, well, I..."

"I'll cook you lunch if you come, just this once," she sang, trying to entice him.

And, by god, it worked. "Ok, Mrs. Clarke, you win. But you're not playin' fair, you know..."

She clapped her hands with delight, as Landry and Maddie stared at each other, mouths agape. Wait. Tim Riggins had just been suckered into going to church. Was he ill?! They turned to stare at him as their mother left the room, and he looked up from his bowl, laughing at the shock on their faces.

"What?" he asked, "you're mom's an awesome cook." He left them there as he disappeared into the kitchen, before heading home to get changed.

"St. Brendan's Catholic, on Parkes' street," their mom called out, before turning to hurry her children on.

As Maddie pulled on skirt and a clean tank, she still couldn't believe that Tim was going to church. Seriously, this was Tim Riggins, _Tim Riggins,_ we were taking about! He probably wasn't going to show, and her mom would be so disappointed. At least if he bailed, then most likely he wouldn't come around here any more, so that was a bonus. But her mom really would be crushed. Sighing, she pulled her hair up into a ponytail before heading into the kitchen.

Her dad looked up from his place at the counter and frowned. "Baby, are you really going to wear that singlet-thing to church?"

She laughed at his expression before grabbing a glass of water. "Daddy, it's early and it's already 97 degrees out there, so yeah, I'm wearing this singlet-thing to church."

Billy burst into laughter when Tim mentioned that he was going to church, as he grabbed a juice from the fridge. "Yeah, nice one, little brother, you heading to the moon after your through there?" he chuckled, throwing himself on the sofa.

Tim grinned and shrugged his shoulders before moving towards his room. "I'm gettin' an awesome meal because of it. You should come- couldn't do you any harm to get in contact with the lord again," he laughed, grabbing a towel and heading for the shower.

Billy frowned at him, before climbing off the couch. "You're not really going to church are you? Tim? Timmy?"

"I'm goin'. Got suckered into it by Mrs. Clarke," he heard through the thick door.

Billy scratched his head, a bewildered look on his face. "I'll be damned," he muttered, " Tim really is tryin' to change..." He frowned, walking around the living room. "Well, hell, if he can do it, so can I!"

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	5. Chapter 5

****Chapter five**

Maddie and Landry sat on the low wall in front of the church, a vicious game of Thumb War taking place, when Tim's truck pulled into the parking lot. Maddie spotted it, her body freezing in shock and Landry whooped as he grabbed her thumb, before looking up and seeing her face. He followed her line of sight, and let out a low whistle, as they watched Tim and Billy climb out of the truck.

"Well what do you know? He showed up! And brought his brother too... Seriously, mom's not that good a cook, is she?" he asked with a chuckle.

A small huff of laughter escaped her lips, but her attention was riveted on the jock making his way over to them.

He had changed into a light brown plaid shirt and dark jeans, and she was grateful for the fact that she wore sunglasses because, for the life of her, she could not tear her eyes away from him. She had to admit, he really was beautiful. He would probably be mortified to hear that description of himself, and she couldn't help but smile to herself.

Little did she know that he was watching her behind his sunglasses. He took in her hippy-looking skirt and tank, her creamy skin- slightly damp from the heat, the few strands of hair clinging to her neck and the small smile playing at her mouth, and he wondered again how he hadn't noticed her before. She was gorgeous.

"Oh, you made it Tim!" her mom exclaimed, snapping her from her reverie.

"Told you I would, Mrs. Clarke," he replied with a grin, before motioning to his left. "This is my brother Billy. This is Mrs. Clarke, Landry and Maddie."

"Pleasure to meet you," he smiled, reaching forward to shake heir hands, "Can't believe y'all got Timmy to come to church. You must be one heck of a cook, Mrs. Clarke."

She chuckled as Tim nudged him in the ribs with his elbow. "Well, I'm yet to hear any complaints, Billy. I hope you'll be joining us for lunch after church."

"Oh, if it's not too much trouble, ma'am..." she waved him off, drawing her arm through his and leading him towards the door, and Maddie shook her head at her mother's ability to manipulate people.

She rose, brushing off the back of her skirt, and followed her brother and Tim to the door. She almost ran into Tim's wide back as he stopped abruptly, a few steps from the threshold. "What's wrong, Tim?" she asked, tilting her head to look up at him, "Afraid the roof might collapse upon your entry?"

He smirked down at her, "I have been to church before, y'know," he scolded her.

"Nah, your christening doesn't count, Riggins," Landry piped up from in front of them, and Maddie couldn't help but laugh. She slipped her hands through the boys' arms and led them through the door. To her surprise, Tim steered them towards the pew in the last row, and offered a small shrug when she looked at him in question. She guessed that he probably didn't want to make a spectacle on his first trip to their church.

She took her seat beside him, giggling as Landry tripped into his place next to her. He had always been a clumsy kid, and he had just gotten worse as he got older, casting a shadow over his ambitions to join the football team. Tim draped his arm across the back of the pew, and as more people arrived, they squished into their row, causing them all to shift across like dominos, and inadvertently sent Maddie into the crook of Tim's arm. Her breath caught in her throat, and she looked up at him in apology, and he just grinned at her before turning his attention to the front as the sermon began.

Maddie could barely concentrate on what the reverend was saying. She could feel the soft rise and fall of Tim's chest against her side and the occasional movements of his arm behind her back. His body heat combined with the stuffiness of the building were almost unbearable, and fanned herself with her booklet, the action not really a relief the heat, but definitely giving her something else to focus on. His musky scent was playing havoc with her senses, and she relished the chance to finally stand and make their way out of the church.

Tim smiled to himself as Maddie practically ran out of the building. It had been sheer luck when she had been pushed against him, and he couldn't say that he had minded. It had taken a fair amount of concentration to keep his arm along the back of the seat, and not let it drape around her shoulders, and every time she had moved her head, he would get a whiff of kiwi fruit, no doubt from her shampoo. He had watched her from the corner of his eye, her hand waving the booklet in front of her face, the occasional glimpse of her tongue as she licked her lips and the lone drop of sweat that ran from her neck, over her collarbone and disappeared beneath the neckline of her top. Needless to say, he had been subjected to some_ very_ unchristian thoughts.

Maddie breathed a sigh of relief as she felt the slight breeze outside. She was readjusting her ponytail when Tim walked out, missing the glance he slid down her body, to the sliver of skin revealed between her skirt and top. Her mom came out behind Tim, talking a mile a minute to Billy, who smiled and tried to keep up. "Did you enjoy the service, Tim?" she asked, as she spotted the tall boy in front of her.

"Yes, ma'am, I did. Gave me a few things to think about, that's for sure," he replied, and he wasn't lying. When his thoughts hadn't been monopolised by Maddie, he had listened intently to the reverend, soaking up his words. A few had hit home, and he had remembered looking up in shock, sure that the rev. would have been looking directly at him.

"How about you, Billy?" Maddie asked, taking a seat on the wall again.

"I enjoyed it," he smiled at her, before ruefully adding, "but I don't know if I could do it every week."

She laughed softly, knowing exactly what he meant. It was her mother that pushed them to go to church, though Maddie never really saw the point. She figured she could just as easily talk to God from her bedroom, than in church. But still, it made her mom happy, so she gladly obliged.

Landry plonked down next to her, ripping off his tie and unbuttoning his shirt a little, the oppressive heat beginning to get to him. Her laughter soon turned to a gasp as he lunged at her, pressing his sweaty face to hers.

"Ugh! Get off me," she cried, before grinning as her dad lightly smacked him across the head.

"Bubba, behave!" he chastised, turning as he heard his name called from behind.

"Heya Chad, how're you going?" Coach Taylor asked, shaking the deputy's hand.

"Good. Good Eric, and yourself?" The coach smiled, before turning his attentions to the Riggins boys.

"How you doin', Billy? Tim. Kind of the last place I'd expect to see you," he chuckled, holding out his hand.

"Coach," the full back replied, a tight smile on his face.

"Heya, Lance, how're you?" he asked, addressing Landry, and Maddie looked up at her brother with a confused look.

"I'm good, coach." he replied, getting to his feet to shake the offered hand. "I, uh, I'm lookin' to try out for the team, soon, so, uh, we'll see how that goes, huh?"

Coach Taylor nodded his head, an easy smile spreading across his face. "Look forward to seeing you out there, son," he said, before dipping an imaginary hat at Maddie and her mother, and shaking hands with the men again. "I'll see y'all later, then," he finished with a smile, heading off in the direction of Buddy Garrity.

"Did he just call you Lance?" Maddie asked, rising to her feet and regarding her brother with a frown on his face.

Landry blushed, rubbing the back of his neck, "Yeah, he, uh, he does that..." he broke off, as Tim chuckled.

"Don't worry about it, Clarkey," he said, patting Landry on the arm, "You really going to try out for the team?" The surprise was evident in his voice.

"He sure is," their father said, wrapping his arm around his son's shoulder proudly. Maddie could only summon a half-smile at her father's enthusiasm, knowing that Landry was only going to try out for the team because he knew it's what their dad wanted. And he'd probably get hurt in the process.

She let out a small sigh, as he mom clapped her hands. "Ok, lets head back to the house, I'm starvin'!" They all smiled in agreement, heading to their cars.

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	6. Chapter 6

****Chapter six**

Maddie had just swapped her skirt for her sweatpants when Landry slipped into the room after a quick knock, his excitement evident, as he practically danced on the spot. She couldn't help the smile that spread across her face, even as her eyes rolled at his giddiness. "Carefully there, puppy," she chided, "you pee on my carpet and you're losing your room until the smell's gone..." A goofy grin adorned his face, as he swept her into his arms, doing a bouncy-jig-thing that made her a little nauseous.

"Can you believe it, Maddie? Not only did Tim drag his brother to our church, but he's here again, voluntarily!" His face took on a thoughtful expression and he gnawed on his bottom lip. "Do you think he kinda sees me as a friend now? Do you know what that would mean... all the girls who I cou-"

He was cut off as she slapped her hand across his mouth, frowning at his sister as she glared at him. "Landry, I know you weren't just about to say something degrading about the female population of Dillon High, right?" He shook his head; his mouth still obstructed by her hand. "And I know that as special as you would feel having Tim Riggins as your friend, you wouldn't change who you are, right?" Again, a shake of his head. "Good, because you're a great guy, and Tim would be the lucky one to consider you as his friend."

She could felt him smile against her palm, and removed her hand in time for him to plant a sloppy kiss on her cheek. "Thanks for worrying about me, mom," he grinned, setting her back on her feet.

She laughed, swatting him on the shoulder before wiping her cheek with the back of her hand.

"C'mon," he motioned, opening her door, and she grinned before jumping on his back as he crouched down. She bumped her head on the door as he adjusted her on his back, and as he walked up the hallway, they couldn't help the giggles that escaped both of them.

Tim, Billy and Chad looked up as the giggling duo made their way up the hall, their father the only one without a surprised expression on his face. He was used to their antics, and there was little that surprised him any more. Their mom clucked her tongue as they made their way to the table, swatting Maddie on the backside with her oven mitt. Maddie grinned, climbing down from Landry's back, before taking the salad from her mother's hand and placing it on the table. Billy and Tim sat to one side of their father, Landry and Maddie opposite them, and their mom took a seat at the other end, after setting her steak and onion pie on the table with a flourish.

"Ta da!" she exclaimed, earning a round of applause as the mouth watering aroma filled the air.

"Mmm mmmm!" her father groaned, as he held out his hands for prayer.

Billy watched, mouth agape, as his little brother automatically took Mrs. Clarke's hand in his and held his other out for Billy. He hesitated before taking Tim's hand, then grasped Mr. Clarke's, and closed his eyes with a small shake of his head. 'Well, I'll be damned,' he thought, 'what the hell could have gotten into Tim now?!' He fought to keep his chuckle to himself, and smiled as Mr. Clarke began.

"Dear lord, we thank you for the nourishment we are about to receive. Please watch over this family, and our new friends, and keep them safe. Amen."

"Amen," came the chorus from the table, and conversation arose, as they reached for the food.

At some point during lunch, Tim stretched out his long legs, causing Maddie to jump, startled, as they collided with one of hers. She almost gasped audibly, and as her eyes snapped to Tim's, they were met with amusement. A small smirk played at his lips and a mischievous twinkle shone in his eyes, as he slowly began to rub his boot lightly across the back of her ankle. She frowned, and tried to tuck her feet under the chair, only to be stopped by a small piece of wood, situated halfway down the chair legs. Her frown grew, as he cottoned on to what she was doing, his smirk transforming into a fully-fledged grin.

He took advantage of her predicament, capturing her foot in between his legs as he crossed his feet at the ankles. She gave a small tug, trying to free her foot, but his legs held her fast, and she glared at him across the table, tugging harder. Conversation buzzed around them, the other occupants oblivious to the silent struggle under the table, and she almost growled, as she kicked her free foot against his leg, with no response whatsoever.

"Maddie, honey, can you please pass the salad?" her mom asked from her right, and she handed the bowl over, the steadiness of her hand not betraying the violent tugging of her foot.

Tim was a picture of calm as he spoke to her father and Landry, her attempts under the table having no impact on his solid frame from the waist up. She grew more and more frustrated as he sent sly smiles her way, and she decided to try another tactic. She stopped her struggle, letting her ankle casually rest in his crossed ones, in the hopes that he would ease his hold on her, and she could quickly slip it out. She was wrong. He knew exactly what she was doing, and simply grinned at her, while tightening his hold on her foot. She could have screamed, she was so frustrated, and she gripped the side of the table and gave one last yank, not expecting it to actually work.

Her knee thumped against the underside of the table, causing everyone to jump, and conversation ceased as she bit her lip, and rubbed her now sore knee. "Sorry," she mumbled, dropping her eyes to her plate, "don't mind me. Please continue..." She looked up at her brother, who frowned at her, before sparing a glance at Tim, who looked like he was barely able to contain his laughter. She glared at him, sending a swift kick to his shin, which only caused his shoulders to silently shake even harder. Her mom placed her hand on her arm, raising her eyebrow in question, and Maddie smiled with a small shrug, before turning her attention back to her food.

The rest of the meal passed without incident, but Maddie refused to look at Tim, not sure that she could stop herself from throwing her fork at his cocky grin. Instead, she focused on Billy, completely ignoring the younger Riggins, and in doing so, missed the frown that had taken residence on his handsome face. Billy was a fast-taking, sometimes bumbling conversationalist, and she found herself wondering how Tim had wound up so quiet.

As her mom cleared the table, she suggested that the 'youngans' take a dip in the pool. Landry, Billy and Tim almost literally jumped at the suggestion, while Maddie found herself in a quandary. She didn't own any one-piece suits. Does she forgo the cool water beckoning to her from the backyard, out of spite, or does she ask for trouble by walking around in a bikini in front of Tim, who would no doubt have seen much better from the rally girls? Did she really care what he thought of her?! She was distraught to find that yes, yes she did. Lord, help her!

She bit her lip as she stood in front of the mirror in her room, her eyes roaming over her bikini. She had never had any body issues, had always been comfortable in her skin, but having Tim around shook everything up. She found herself scrutinising her body for the first time, and loathed herself for it. 'Screw it', she thought, running a frustrated hand through her hair, 'if he doesn't like it, then that's his tough luck!' In the interest of decency, she pulled on a pair of short shorts before grabbing her towel from the bed and making her way out the back door.

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	7. Chapter 7

****Chapter seven**

Pulling her glasses down against the blazing sun, she almost tripped over the threshold. The boys had borrowed trunks from her brother, Tim easily fitting his narrow waist into Landry's clothes, while Billy's were a little on the tight side. She stifled a chuckle, busying herself with sunscreen, but couldn't help as her eyes slid to Tim. She knew that he must have had a decent body under his clothes, but _wow_! He was leaning against the barbecue, arms crossed talking to Billy, and behind the protection of her dark glasses, she could abuse the opportunity to ogle him.

Her eyes took in the broad, muscled shoulders, the vast expanse of chest, the rippled stomach, the deep V that disappeared into the waistband of shorts that sat low on his hips, and his long lean legs. She licked her suddenly dry lips, catching the small quirk of his lips, and realised that he had been fully aware of her appraisal of him. She turned her shocked face from him, mentally slapping herself, before pulling her hair into a messy bun, and making her way to the pool.

Just as she was about to dive in, the sliding door opened, and their cousin Sophie and her boyfriend Ryan walked through the door, already wearing their bathing suits. They hadn't noticed the Riggins duo talking to her brother, and Sophie let out a small squeal, running towards her. Maddie laughed as she wrapped her arms around the dark haired girl, before turning her attention to Ryan. She had known Ryan since she was four years old, and they were almost as close as she and Landry. He lifted her off the ground, planting a kiss to her lips, and although she missed the quick clenching of Tim's fists, Landry didn't. As apprehension dawned, a small, knowing grin slipped across his face.

"Hey, baby," Sophie drawled, throwing her towel to join Maddie's, "where's your brother?" Maddie grinned, spinning her cousin around, and she let out another squeal as she flew towards Landry.

He caught her with a laugh, before turning to the boys for introductions. "Tim, Billy, this is my cousin Sophie, and you probably already know," he pointed to Ryan, "her boyfriend, Ryan."

They nodded while Ryan wandered over and shook hands with the boys- he was on the team with Tim.

"Your folks here?" Maddie asked, turning to her cousin, just as the back door was flung open and a big bear of a man jumped out.

"Maddie baby, where you at?!" he cried.

"Uncle Stu!" she exclaimed, running to be engulfed in a bear hug.

"How are ya, darlin'?" he asked, holding her a foot or so off the ground. Uncle Stu easily stood at 6"5, dwarfing Maddie's 5"4 frame.

"I'm good! You?" she replied giggling, as he scooped her legs up, effectively cradling her.

"Well, sugar, I'm a little hot…" he puffed, striding towards the pool. She knew exactly what he was doing, and managed to draw a breath before he jumped into the cool water, taking her with him. She came up laughing, as the rest of the group joined them, and soon they were involved in a competitive game of water-football.

It wasn't easy, and Maddie found herself pulled under more often than not, but it was a welcome reprieve from the sting of the sun. She somehow found herself pitted against Tim, and inwardly groaned as he rubbed his hands together menacingly.

"Hike!" her uncle cried, and she gasped as Tim easily manoeuvred his way through the water. As he advanced, she quickly ducked and pushed off the side of the pool, darting between his legs. He must have been surprised by her agility, missing the opportunity to grab her legs, and she surfaced on the other side of him, catching the ball her uncle tossed in her direction. She laughed as he spun around, the shock evident on his face, before making her way to the end of the pool, securing a goal for their team.

Throwing the ball back to her uncle, she pushed through the water, passing Tim to take her position again. "Nice move, Mads," he grinned, and she couldn't help but laugh.

"Thanks. Maybe I should think about trying out for the Panthers too..." He laughed as she smiled up at him, and without thinking, reached out to brush some hair back from her face. Her breath caught at the contact, and she looked away, settling her gaze on her uncle.

"Hike!" he yelled, and Maddie bit her lip a Tim advanced again. She tried to dodge around him, and thought she would succeed, before his hands wrapped around her waist, and pulled her back against his chest. Even as shivers coursed through her body, she was laughing, trying to wriggle from his arms.

Her uncle tossed the ball to Ryan, who was tackled by Billy, and the ball splashed to the water in an unoccupied area. She somehow managed to break from Tim's hold, and set after the ball, trying to beat Landry, who was currently wading through the water with a flailing Sophie on his back. She grinned at the spectacle, before swallowing a mouthful of water as Tim grabbed a hold of her ankle, and dragged her towards him. She gasped, spinning on to her back, and laughed as he managed to pull her completely past his body, giving him the opportunity to go for the ball.

It was a race against Tim and Sophie, who had somehow managed to climb over Landry's head, and Maddie threw herself onto Tim's back, trying to give her cousin the upper hand. He laughed as she wrapped one arm around his shoulder, and the other across his stomach, her slight weight having no impact on his progress, whatsoever. Sophie had managed to grab the ball, and screamed as Tim latched onto her shoulder. At that moment, Ryan managed to shake Billy off and grabbed Maddie's ankles, dragging her backwards, effectively pulling Tim away from Sophie. "Hey!" he exclaimed, taking a few steps back, Maddie's husky laughter ringing in his ear.

Maddie, Stu and Ryan cheered as Sophie touched the end of the pool, signifying the end of the game. Billy groaned, light heartedly chastising Landry for letting _'a girl'_ get the better of him, and Maddie grinned as Ryan released her feet, and she climbed off Tim's back. Her breath caught as her hands slid across his wet body. She could _feel_ the power of those tightly corded muscles. She grinned, making her way to the side of the pool before hauling herself up to sit on the edge, her feel dangling in the water. Sophie joined her, as Stu climbed out and headed for the house, and they sat there for awhile, watching the boys wrestle each other.

As she sat there, laughing at their antics, she felt Sophie jab her side with an elbow, nodding towards the long-haired boy. "That Tim's a fine specimen, huh?"

Maddie grinned, and shrugged her shoulders. "He's a jock," was her only reply.

"So? So is Ryan, and he's ok!" her cousin quipped indignantly. "What is he doin' here anyway?"

"He's working on an assignment with Landry, and mom roped him into coming to church with us!" Maddie laughed, and her cousin stared at her, mouth agape.

"Tim Riggins attended church?" she asked dumbfounded, glancing back at said boy, as Maddie nodded. "Wow. I guess Ryan was right..."

Maddie turned to her cousin, a frown marring her pretty face. "Right about what?" Her cousin didn't answer, instead, calling out to her boyfriend in support. "Right about what, Soph?" she asked again, her curiosity peaked.

Sophie sighed and turned to face her, her teeth pulling at her bottom lip. "Ok, but you can't tell anyone, ok? Ryan will kill me..."

"So, Ryan had just finished packing up one day after practice, and apparently Tim was in the office talking to the coach. Ry wasn't eavesdropping or anything, but they weren't being hush about it 'cos they thought they were alone. He was asking the coach for help to clean up his life. Apparently a rep from TMU came to see him, and told him that there was a possibility of Tim getting a scholarship if he raised his grades and cleaned up his act! So, I guess it's true. I know he's stopped drinking so much at parties and everything, and now he's putting effort in with school... Seems like he really does want to change. And good on him, too " she finished, turning her attention back to the pool.

Maddie watched as the boys threw each other around the pool, her mind sorting through this new information. Again she was forced to alter her opinion of Tim, and she found herself even more drawn to him than before.

_Damn._

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	8. Chapter 8

****Chapter eight **

Landry escaped the fray, wading his way over to where the girls sat on the edge of the pool. Maddie laughed as he laid his head on her thighs, panting from the effort of having wrestled guys almost twice his size. "You'll never survive football with that kind of stamina, Landry," their cousin chuckled, before squealing as he grabbed her arm and pulled her into the water. "You jerk," she laughed, "I was almost dry!" She let loose another squeal as Ryan grabbed her, pulling her into the circle, and the boys began splashing her mercilessly.

"You're mean," Maddie laughed as Landry pulled himself out of the pool to sit beside her, his hand leaning on the ground behind her back, his chin resting on her shoulder.

"Tim likes you," he said softly, and chuckled at her surprise.

"What are you talking about? Tim likes rally girls, Landry. And girls like Tyra. Not that Tyra's bad or anything," she hurried, knowing that her brother had become quite close to the blonde, "but she's the kind of girl that he goes for."

"Then why has he been watching you all day?" he asked, before slipping back into the pool, leaving her speechless.

She was still sitting there, a frown on her face, when her mom stuck her head out the back door. "You boys stayin' for dinner?" she called, shielding her eyes from the blazing sun. "We've got to get more meat for the new guests, and Angie's popping in with Adam, so it's easy enough to buy for you guys, too."

"That'd be great," they called from the pool.

"I'll go to the shop, ma," Maddie called, pulling her legs from the water and grabbing her towel. She inwardly cringed as she heard Tim's "I'll help," from behind her, and the sound of him climbing from the pool. 'Argh!' she silently screamed, desperately wanting to put space between Tim and herself.

"Uh, me too," she heard Sophie call out, and she almost cried out in joy. Bless her, Maddie thought as she made her way into the house. Pulling a tank over her bikini top, she slipped her feet into flip flops, grabbed her bag, and stood at the door, waiting for the others to pull some clothes on.

"I'm in last, so I'll drive," Sophie said, pulling her dress over her bathers.

Maddie nodded at Tim joined them, and they made their way down the drive to the blue pick-up parked on the street. Sophie grinned as Tim opened the door for her cousin, and she could practically sense Maddie rolling her eyes behind her glasses. Maddie gave a small sigh as Tim climbed into the seat next to her, throwing an arm across the back of her seat. She felt the now familiar tingles raced up her spine, as his thumb grazed her shoulder. Her cousin keep up a steady stream of chatter as they drove to the store and Maddie was glad for the distraction. She even contemplated climbing out of the driver's door once they pulled up, but realised that it would be overkill, and resigned herself to following Tim out, her eyes watching the muscles in his arms of their own free will.

They grabbed two baskets and Sophie walked off in one direction looking for snacks and drinks, while Tim and Maddie made their way towards the meat and salad. Maddie grinned as Tim headed straight for the meat (typical male), his teeth catching his bottom lip in concentration. 'Adorable', she thought, grabbing a couple of salads from the shelf, and dropping them into the basket. She took her place beside him, her heart fluttering as he slid a sideways glance at her and smiled. 'A boy can do damage with a smile like that!' she thought with a grin.

"What's wrong?" she asked, confused at his lack of decision.

"Do we want barbecue packs or do we just want to grab individual burgers and sausages and stuff?" he asked a small frown on his face. "How many people are comin' for dinner?"

"Eleven and one kid," she replied looking at the meat selection. "Maybe we could grab a couple of barbecue packs and then an extra pack of burgers, just in case..." He nodded, grabbing the packs off the shelf and dropping them in the basket, before taking the basket out of her hands. She grinned at his chivalry, watching his broad back as he walked ahead of her.

"Like what you see?" Sophie whispered in her ear, making her gasp. Tim spun around, thinking something was wrong, and looked down at the girls, a smug grin on one face and a flustered frown on the other. He grinned, noting that Maddie hadn't realised that he'd stopped walking, and braced himself for the impact of her body against his.

"Ooof!" Maddie breathed, as she hit something solid, and she groaned as she felt Tim's arm wrap around her back.

"Already told ya, Mads. If you want a hug, all you need to do is ask..." he chuckled.

She couldn't help but giggle and she leant her head against his chest for a moment. She couldn't deny that it actually felt good in his arms. Catching herself, she stepped back and smiled up at him. "Thanks, Tim. I'll try to remember that..."

He laughed softly and threw his arm around her shoulder. Maddie looked at her cousin for help, but Sophie just grinned, and walked ahead of them. She tried to control her heartbeat as they made their way to the bread aisle, and to her horror, she felt her arm was itching to snake around his waist. She fit perfectly under his arm, she thought, and she frowned at herself, breaking away to grab the bread off the shelf.

Keeping out of arms reach, she followed Sophie to the check out, discreetly kicking her cousin, and receiving a wide smile in return. Sophie looked over her head, engaging Tim in conversation, and Maddie tensed as she felt Tim lean against the counter, close behind her. She welcomed the opportunity to move past her cousin and pay for the groceries, and grabbing a bag each, they made their way back to the car. Again, Tim held the door open for her, and slid his arm along the back of her seat, and she could feel herself flushing, despite the air conditioning in the truck.

They could hear the excited squeals in the pool from the front yard, announcing that Sophie's sister Angie and her five-year old son Adam had arrived. Sophie clapped her hands in with glee before grabbing a bag and rushing into the house, followed closely by Maddie. Tim shook his head at the girl's antics as he closed the front door behind him. He paused in the hall to look at the photos again, grinning at the sandy-haired freckled kids smiling at the camera. There were both old and new photos and he found himself staring at a couple of the more recent ones.

One was of them sitting on the front of an anchored speedboat. They were in the same position, legs out in front of them, ankles crossed, and leaning back on their hands, but while Landry was making a face at the camera, Maddie had her head tipped back, looking content, a small smile on her face while she soaked up the sun. The other was a close-up of Landry smiling down at Maddie, who was tucked under his arm and smiling back up at him, and the love he saw in their faces made his heart twist a little. What he wouldn't give to have had that kind of love in his family, growing up.

With a small sigh he turned away from the photos and made his way into the kitchen. Mrs. Clarke grabbed the bag from his hand with a smile, then shooed him towards the backdoor again. She chuckled as he stepped outside and spotted Billy still in the pool, leaning against the side and talking to a brunette who sat with her legs dangling in the water. Billy noticed him and called him over, introducing him to Angie. He greeted her with a handshake, grinning when she returned it with a firm shake of her own.

He made his way over to the tables where Maddie and Landry were sitting with their father and uncle, and a little boy sitting on Stu's knee. "Oh my gosh, grandpa! It's Tim Riggins!' the little one exclaimed in an excited whisper, and Tim smiled as he took a seat beside Landry.

"Why, yes it is, Adam. Why don't you go over there and introduce yourself?" Stu chuckled, and they all laughed at the excitement on his face.

He climbed down from his grandfather's knee and marched over to Tim, his chest puffed out and his head held high. Tim grinned as he stood before him, and held his hand out, like a big boy. "Nice to meet you, Tim Riggins. My name's Adam, I'm five and I'm going to be a Panther fullback one day!" Tim laughed out loud at that one, and took the hand Adam offered, giving it a firm shake.

"Is that so?" he asked, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Well, I think maybe you should show me your style, and if I like what I see, I'll put in a good word with the Coach."

"Really?" Adam asked, his eyes as wide as saucers. "That would be so cool! I always pretend I'm you when we play football! Come on!" he said, dragging Tim up from the chair. "You stand here. No, bend down so I can tackle you. More. No, more. _I'm only little, Tim_!" The group laughed as Adam pulled Tim down so far he was squatting, before moving to crouch about a metre in front of him.

"You show him, baby!" Angie called from the pool, where they had all tuned in to watch the show.

"Red-forty-two. Red-forty-two. Hike!" Adam cried before running full pelt at Tim. Tim had to suppress his laugh, and allowed himself to be bowled onto his back as Adam hit him, making sure the kid didn't hurt himself on the concrete. The group clapped and whistled as Adam jumped to his feet. "Well?! How was that? D'you think I'll make the team? I didn't hurt you too bad, did I?"

Tim chuckled as he pulled himself up to kneel in front of Adam. "Well, you sure clocked me a good one, but I don't think you broke any bones. Maybe I'll just have a couple of big bruises tomorrow. Anyway, seems to me like the Panther's are going to have one hel-, uh, heck, of a tough fullback on their hands, when you get to high school..." Maddie grinned as Adam beamed and ran back to Stu.

"Did you hear that, grandpa?? I'm gonna be one heck of a fullback!" he exclaimed, jumping around like a pogo-stick. "Hey Tim! If I put my floaties on, can you catch me when I jump in the pool?" he called, running back over to Tim.

"You betcha, little buddy. Go get 'em on!" he replied, laughing as Adam flew into the house to grab his floaties. While Landry jumped back into the pool, Maddie stood and walked over to where Tim was throwing his t-shirt onto a chair.

"That was really decent of you, Tim," she smiled, pulling her tank over her head, "You're just a big ol' softie under all that gruff, huh?" She laughed as he tried to look offended, and failed miserably.

"I've got a lot of time for kids, you know... They don't have some hidden motive. They just wanna have fun. I like that..." he shrugged, and sent her a devastating smile. She grinned and moved past him, grabbing an inflatable pool lounge from beside the garage. She was almost bowled over as Adam came running out of the house, his floaties wrapped around his arms.

"Ok Tim, I'm ready!!" he cried, running to stand near the pool. Tim chuckled and ruffled Adam's hair was he passed him, before lowering himself into the cool water. He positioned himself in the middle of the pool, and gave Adam the thumbs up, laughing as he heard, "Ready or not, here I come!"

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	9. Chapter 9

**LuckyLily- thanks so much for the suggestions. They've definately made the story easier to read.**

**Brandi- I'm rapt that you're enjoying the story so much. You are such an ego boost. Thanks chicky!**

**Chapter nine

As the group sat around the enormous outdoor table with their dinner, Maddie felt oddly contented. Tim and Billy had managed to fit nicely into the family gathering, Adam talking Tim's ear off, while his mother discreetly flirted with Billy. Sophie nudged her in the ribs, motioning to her sister and the elder Riggins, and they gave a secret low-five under the table while their faces beamed. Angie had left Adam's abusive father when he was eight months old, and she's never really allowed herself to get involved with someone since. It seemed that Billy was too stubborn to be easily dismissed, and was charming enough to have Angie smiling from ear to ear.

"Come on, Adam," she said, turning to her left, "eat up before your dinner gets cold." Tim's eyes met hers over Adam's head, and she had to grin at the silent thanks she saw there. Landry watched their exchange with a small smile on his face, before standing to help his mom clear the table. While the adults sat around the table talking and Landry, Tim and Ryan returned to the pool with Adam, Maddie and Sophie headed for the swing-seat. As she curled on leg under her, the other rocking back and forth lightly, Maddie closed her eyes with a sigh.

"Happy, puddin'?" Sophie grinned from beside her, and Maddie simply smiled and nodded, her eyes still closed. They sat like that for a little while, Sophie watching the antics in the pool, while Maddie listened to them, before Sophie turned her attention back to her cousin. "You like him, don't you?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.

Maddie sighed, reopening her eyes, only to have them settle on the person about whom they were talking. "On Friday night, if you had asked me if I had a thing for Tim Riggins, I would have laughed in your face; but now..." she sighed again, shrugging her shoulders, "... he's just...not what I expected." She turned to her cousin with a frown on her face. "How can a person change their opinion of someone, so drastically, over a two day period??"

Sophie laughed, looking back towards the pool, where Tim was trying to teach Adam how to swim. "Don't be so hard on yourself, Maddie. I think alot of people are going to have to alter their opinions of Tim very soon. He's pretty far from the hard-drinkin', hard-livin' jerk that he was two months ago. Still has that charm though, doesn't he?" she grinned, chuckling as Maddie gravely nodded her head.

"I think I like the jock, Soph. God help me..." she sighed, resting her head on her cousin's shoulder. Sophie just laughed, laying her head on top of Maddie's.

It was a while later when their guests began to leave. Angie, Adam, Stu and Beth were the first to leave, followed closely by Sophie and Ryan. As Landry and Maddie stood, waving, at the end of the driveway, Tim and Billy stepped through the front door, saying goodbye to their parents. Maddie and Landry chuckled at their mom's repeated invitations for the boys stop by, as they ambled down the drive towards them.

"Well, thanks for a great day," Billy began, shaking Landry's hand before leaning down and kissing Maddie's cheek.

"Anytime," she smiled up at him, as Tim finished shaking Landry's hand. He turned to her, a small grin on his face, and she felt her heart flutter a little. His hand gripped her hip as he leaned down, and hers rose to rest on his bicep, a tremor running through her body as he placed a light kiss on her cheek, very close to the corner of her mouth.

"See you guys tomorrow, " he grinned, walking towards his truck. "Thanks for everything this weekend."

"No worries, Tim. Mom's already told you that you're welcome here anytime," Landry called with a grin, and they could hear Tim's chuckle as he climbed into the truck. As he pulled away from the curb with a wave, Landry drew his sister into the curve of his arm, and they strolled up the drive to take a seat on the porch.

"What a crazy weekend, huh?" Maddie sighed, her fingers playing idly with Landry's.

"I'll say," he agreed, looking up at the bright moon. "I'm still shocked that lightning didn't strike the church when Tim walked into it this morning!" Maddie threw back her head and laughed, before Landry rose from his position, pulling her up after him. The entered the house laughing, before saying goodnight, and heading to their separate bedrooms.

The next week passed pretty quickly, much to Maddie's glee. Tim had decided to sit beside her in most of their classes, and his sudden all-encompassing nearness was playing havoc with her senses. Landry was in seventh heaven, as Tim sat with he and Matt most days, and of course they were joined by Ryan and Smash. Maddie would watch them from her table with Sophie, Julie and sometimes Julie's annoying friend Lois, and had to laugh at the mega-watt grin on her brother's face.

"Want me to pick you up for the game tonight?" Sophie asked, breaking her from her reverie. She chuckled as Maddie looked at her with a thoroughly confused look on her face. "You know...Dillon... football town... Friday... game night...any of this a-ringin' a bell?"

Maddie's jaw almost hit the table. "It's Friday already?" she squeaked, looking at her cousin and friend in disbelief. They both nodded, laughing at her confusion, and she frowned down at her tray. "Um, right. Yeah, a lift would be great. Landry said something about Mrs. Saracen being sick, so he's not taking her, and he'll grab a ride with Matt earlier. So, yeah. Thanks."

Sophie laughed harder and shook her head, her eyes shining as Tim headed for their table, despite the fact that his friends were making their way out of the cafeteria. She realised who he was making a beeline for. "Ladies," he greeted them, smiling at Sophie, Julie and Maddie, and trying not to notice that their friend had begun hyperventilating. "Everyone ready for the party after the game tonight?"

Sophie nodded her head enthusiastically, while Julie shook hers. "I have a massive assignment due Monday, and I'll need all weekend to do it."

"That's weak, Taylor, I'm disappointed. " He moved to stand behind Maddie, and leaned down, resting one hand on the table, his lips dangerously close to her ear. "How about you Mads? You gonna make an appearance and shake your groove thing tonight?"

Maddie let out a small laugh, recognising his game straight away. "Uh, nah I don't thi-"

"Of course she's coming! She wouldn't miss it for the world, would ya, babe?" Sophie almost choked on her sandwich as Maddie sent her a withering glare, and Tim rose from his position with a chuckle.

"Nice! See you tonight then. Ladies." he nodded to Julie and Lois before strolling his way out of the cafeteria, leaving a sea of swivelling heads and forlorn sighs in his wake.

"What is the matter with you?!" Maddie cried, sending her cousin an exasperated look.

"Oh come on, Maddie. The second hottest guy in school is flirting with you, hardcore, and you were about to shoot him down without a second thought. Sorry, but I just couldn't allow it." Sophie squealed and ducked, as an olive from Maddie salad flew at her head. "Hey! I'm just lookin' out for your best interests, baby girl. You should be thanking me!"

"Whatever. Some friend you are!" she scowled, before rising from the table and grabbing her bag.

"I'll pick you up at 5 o'clock!" Sophie called out, as her cousin stalked towards the door, laughing as she received the middle finger in response.

Maddie fumed as she walked through the halls to her next class. A party. Full of alcohol-fuelled jocks and bimbos. So not gonna fit in there. Might as well just fake a fever and stay home or something. Yeah right. Not only would Soph see right through it, so would Tim. And he would never let her live it down. Great! Just great!


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER TEN

Tonight's plans had Maddie distracted for the rest of the afternoon, bothering her so much that she zoned out in her last class of the day, earning her a half and hour lecture from her teacher. So she was running late as she bounded through the front door of her house, almost knocking her father out in the process.

"Whoa, baby!" he exclaimed, his hand flying up to catch the door as it was about to slam into his face. "Where's the fire??"

"Sorry, daddy!" she cried, streaking down the hall towards her bedroom, "Sophie's picking me up soon and I have to get changed!"

She heard her mother chuckle as her father grumbled something about warped priorities. "We're goin', sweetie," she called, pulling the door behind her, "we'll see you at the game."

Maddie's reply was muffled as she stripped off the clothes she had worn that day and threw them in the corner. She heard Sophie's truck pull up and the slam of a door, and rushed to grab her jeans from the closet. Her cousin chuckled as she entered the room, watching Maddie flit back and forward from closet to drawer, trying to decide what top to wear.

"Why don't you wear that red halter I got you for your last birthday and your denim skirt," she suggested with a wiggle of her eyebrows, her smile turning into a frown as her cousin's bark of laughter.

"Riiiight... A perfectly acceptable outfit for sitting in the stands on a cold night at a football game. Give me a break, Soph!" she laughed, pulling on a beaded tank and her wool jacket. "Ok, let's go!" she said, grabbing her bag and panthers scarf from her desk.

The girls argued the entire way to the field, with Sophie trying to convince her cousin to take advantage of Tim's attraction. Maddie could feel her resistance waning, and she was dangerously close to giving in. The new Tim was great. Smart, funny and charming as hell, but she couldn't help the niggling concern she had about his past. What if he hadn't really changed at all? What if it was all a part of his new game plan? What if she was the new game?

They climbed the bleachers, calling 'hello' to Julie and Mrs. Taylor, before taking their seats beside Landry. He was bursting with the news that try-outs would begin next week, and Maddie couldn't help but get caught up in his excitement. She cheered as the players took the field, and she realised that she had never really _seen_ Tim before, she had always been paying more attention to Ryan and Matt. He took her breath away. 6"1 of solid, hard-packed muscle beneath a pile of padding, he towered over the majority of the team. His face was pure concentration, his focus completely on the game. He looked terrifying.

It was a close game tonight, and Maddie's voice was raw, as per usual, from all the yelling and cheering. Smash's final touchdown had the crowd on their feet, clapping and hugging each other. Maddie loved the atmosphere at the games. It didn't matter if you didn't even know the person sitting beside you; if your team won, you hugged them with all your might.

Landry planned to hang back at the field, and wait for Matt and Julie, so Sophie and Maddie joined the procession of cars leaving the school, to grab some dinner before the party. Like usual, they grabbed some burgers and fries, and made their way up to The Point to eat. As they sat on the back of the truck, looking out over the town, a dark truck rumbled around the corner and made it's way slowly past the front of their car, the tinted windows making it impossible to see the occupants.

Both girls turned to watch as the truck rumbled out of sight, before looking at each other with a frown. Maddie had an uneasy feeling, but they continued to eat their food, each of them straining to hear the approach of the truck again. After a few minutes they heard the low rumble return, and jumped down from the tailgate, grabbed their empty food containers and hurried to the cab of the truck. They had just slammed their doors as the dark truck appeared again, going even slower than before.

Sophie hit the central locking as she started the car, their eyes never leaving the truck that had pulled to a stop and was now idling in front of them. Maddie's heart was beating a mile a minute and their erratic breathing was the only sound in the truck. After a minute or so, the truck before them revved and sped off, leaving a trail of dusk in its wake. Maddie released the breath she had been unconsciously holding, and Sophie gave a nervous laugh.

"Well, that was weird, huh?" she asked, pulling out of the clearing and onto the dirt road.

"Yeah," Maddie agreed, her eyes scanning the horizon, making sure the car hadn't pulled off somewhere. "Any idea who's it was?"

Sophie shook her head, her forehead furrowed in concentration. "I'll ask Ryan about it tonight, but I don't think it's anyone at school..."

They were silent as they made their way to the party, both of them a little shaken up. Sophie breathed an audible sigh of relief as they pulled up in front of the house, and they chuckled as they climbed out of the truck, the dull thud of music pumping from inside. Maddie heard her name being called as they wandered up the path, and turned to see Landry exiting his car, Matt, Ryan and Julie behind him. She grinned as her brother practically bounced up the path towards, pulling her into a tight hug.

"What are you so happy about?" she laughed as he set her back on the ground.

"Julie has agreed to be designated driver tonight, so I get to have a beverage or two. Or three. Make sure I don't do anything stupid tonight, huh?" he pleaded, and she was lost on his puppy-dog eyes.

"Fine," she replied rolling her eyes, "but if you pass out in the car, I'm not throwing my back out trying to haul your ass into the house again!"

Sophie laughed, having witnessed the last time Landry passed out drunk, and they made their way up the stairs towards the house.

****

"She'll be here soon, Riggins, jeez!" Jason exclaimed, as Tim craned his neck over the crowd for the hundredth time. "What's gotten into you??"

Tim sighed, dragging his hand through his hair, and leaned back against the kitchen counter. "I dunno, Street. I like this girl. She's different. She's funny, sweet, gorgeous. And smart. Really smart..." he trailed off with a frown, realising for the first time that Maddie was probably out of his league.

Jason gaped up at his best friend, having never witnessed Tim so unsure of himself. Tim always had any girl he wanted. Even Lyla, he thought wryly. This girl must really be something to have Tim so worked up! "So go for it, Timmy. Work your magic and have her swoonin'!" he laughed.

Tim chuckled and rolled his eyes as he folded his arms across his chest. "Not that easy, Jay. She doesn't go for it. I tried to be charming as hell when I first met her, and she hardly even gave me the time of day!"

Jason burst out laughing at his shocked tone, almost losing his hold on his beer. He watched with amusement as Tim's eyes scanned the crowd yet again, his frown breaking into a wide smile as the front door opened.

"She came..."

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	11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Maddie grinned as the loud music assaulted them when Matt opened the front door. She followed Sophie into the house, Ryan's hands on her hips as he bopped behind her. Instead of following the group towards the kitchen, he steered her towards the dance floor, calling out to Sophie on the way. "Save us a couple of drinks, babe? We're just gonna have a boogie first!"

"Wait! No…" Maddie protested as her cousin laughed and disappeared into the crowd.

She turned to glare at Ryan, but he simply grinned and pulled her flush against his body. She tried as hard as she could, but failed to keep the frown on her face as they moved to the beat. For such a big guy, Ryan was actually a good dancer and Maddie found it easy to sway against him. She loved dancing to this kind of music. Slow dancing, on the other hand, made her anxious.

They rocked their way through two songs before Maddie grabbed Ryan's hand and began to pull him through the crowd. He followed behind her, like an obedient puppy, high-fiving any friends that he passed along the way. The crowd had doubled in size while they had been dancing, and Maddie was hot and breathless by the time they reached the kitchen.

"Hey, there you are!" Sophie grinned as Maddie leaned against the counter beside her.

"God it's hot in here" Maddie exclaimed, shrugging out of her jacket before taking a long swallow of the drink Sophie handed to her. "Thanks," she smiled, before glancing at Tim, who was in a deep discussion with Matt and Jason Street. She couldn't help but stare at his back. The way his shirt clung to his wide shoulders, tapered into a 'V' at his waist, and would ride up slightly when he stood with his hand on his hip.

She didn't notice her cousin watching her until Sophie bumped her hip against hers and caused her to jump, a guilty look washing over her face. She pointedly ignored her cousin's knowing look, only to turn to Landry and find him with an identical look on his face.

"What?" she asked, her face a picture of innocence, as she pulled herself up to sit on the counter.

Landry grinned and moved to stand beside her, his arm behind her back and his mouth close to her ear. "Stop fighting how you feel and go for it! Tim's not going to knock you back, Maddie, I guarantee it..."

She shrugged, not yet ready to take the leap, and turned her attention to Ryan, who had moved to stand between her legs. "You guys talking about Maddie and Tim?" he asked, smirking as Maddie's jaw almost hit the floor. "Oh, come on, sweets! You really think you can hide your feelings from the people who know you better than you know yourself?!"

"Shhh!" Maddie hissed, sending a frantic glance in Tim's direction. Thankfully he was still engrossed in his conversation with the boys, and hadn't heard Ryan's less-than-quiet comments. "Fine! I like him, and who knows, maybe something's going to happen, but I swear, if all of you don't start easing up on me, I'm going home!"

"Ok, ok! We'll back off..." Sophie agreed softly, holding up a hand as Ryan began to protest. "No, she's right. If something's going to happen, we need to let it happen naturally."

Tim turned around at that moment, catching the silent thanks in Maddie's face as she looked at her cousin. "Hey," he smiled, clapping Ryan on the back before they shook hands.

"Hey Riggs," Ryan greeted him before pulling Sophie towards the dance floor.

Maddie watched them leave as Tim leaned towards her, placing a light kiss on her cheek. "Thought I saw you come in," he said, leaning against the counter beside her. "Enjoying your first party, Mads?" he asked with a grin, tilting his head as she laughed at his question.

"This isn't my first party, Tim... I come to most of them!" she replied laughing harder, as a confused look took up residence on his face.

"Not possible. How could I not have seen you?" he asked, crossing his hands across his chest.

She managed to reign her laughter into a few soft chuckles, and lay her hand on his shoulder. "Uh, maybe for the same reason you never noticed me in class either..."

As the reason dawned on him, he flushed, an embarrassed look flitting across his face briefly, before leaning towards her with a grin. "Well, I'm noticing you now," he began, and she found it impossible to drag her eyes away from his, "even if you're not blonde, wearing barely nothing and not throwing yourself at me..."

Maddie smiled, a little stunned that he remembered her exact words from their first meeting.

His glaze shifted to her mouth as her teeth pulled at her bottom lip, and her heart rate sped as he began to lean closer. She realised her hand was still on his shoulder, and moved so that it slid to his chest, feeling the muscles tense under her palm. He was so close that she could see the brown flecks in his green eyes and her breath caught as his hands pressed onto the counter on either side of her.

She heard his soft intake of breath as her tongue darted out to wet her suddenly dry lips, but as his mouth dipped towards hers, they were interrupted by a loud noise, and two guys started fighting close to where they stood. Tim's head whipped around at the sound and Maddie flinched as one of the boys was flung into the counter, merely inches away from her. She gasped as Tim gripped her waist, hauling her off the bench and set her down behind Landry, before turning to help Ryan and Smash get the boys out of the house.

Maddie stood behind her brother, stunned, rubbing the hand that she had smacked against the cupboards as Tim pulled her from the counter.

Sophie rushed to her side, an astonished look on her face, and pulled her towards the other exit of the kitchen. "You ok?" she asked, looking worriedly at the hand Maddie was rubbing.

"Yeah," she replied absently, trying to see if the guys had succeeded in getting the boys out of the house. "I just banged my hand, that's all..."

Landry had overheard her comment, and grabbed a cold drink from the fridge, holding it against her hand. She tired to refuse, telling him that it was unnecessary, but he stood firm, holding the can in place, and eventually Maddie had to admit that it was helping. She glanced around, noting that the crowd had followed the excitement into the yard, and thankfully the kitchen was all but deserted. They were examining her hand, a deep bruise already beginning to form, when Ryan and Tim returned. Tim frowned as he realised that she had been hurt, tensing when she flinched as Landry poked his finger on the sore spot.

"Ow!" she exclaimed, smacking him with her free hand, before looking up into Tim's angry face. "Did you get them out ok?" She asked, silently searching for any hint of damage on them.

"Yeah, wasn't too hard," Ryan replied as Tim just frowned down at her hand, " couple of juniors fighting over a girl... God, I remember those days..." Sophie, Landry and Maddie laughed at his wistful tone.

"C'mon," Landry piped up, herding them towards the back door, "let's get out of here, and into the wide-open where there are more places to take cover!"

They laughingly descended the stairs leading down from the porch, and made their way to a series of old couches thrown around a fire. Matt and Julie were already there, smiling a little guiltily as the group made their way towards them.

"Hope we're not interrupting anything," Sophie grinned unconvincingly, and plopped down on the empty sofa next to Ryan. Tim took the end of the couch, pulling Maddie down between he and Sophie, while Landry threw himself down on Matt and Julie's couch. They were joined by more and more people until there were no spare seats left, and conversation was buzzing. Maddie realised that Tim still hadn't said a word, and twisted a little in his arm to see that he was frowning down at her hand again.

"Are you ok?" she asked softly, her teeth gnawing worriedly at her bottom lip.

"Did I do that?" he asked, his voice husky with an emotion she couldn't place, and when his gaze landed on hers, she realised that he was angry with himself!

"God no, Tim. I knocked it on a cupboard. You didn't do anything!" she said, her breath hitching as he took the injured hand in his big one.

"You sure?" he asked, inspecting the damage.

"Absolutely," she replied, a tingle racing down her back as Tim raised her hand to his mouth, his soft lips pressing against her tender, swollen flesh.

Maddie felt her heart begin to race as his eyes locked onto hers, and she decided then and there that she was tired of being afraid to take chances. She shifted her body again, turning completely towards him, and brought her hand up against his face. His eyes never wavered from hers as her fingers lightly traced his jaw line, before reaching around his neck and pulling his head towards hers. She felt his own hand slide over her shoulder to bury his hand in the hair at the nape of her neck as his lips met hers.

The kiss began gently. Small, light kisses testing the water, gradually building up to longer, more lingering exchanges. They tasted each other, running their tongue against the other's lips, sipping at their mouth like it was filled with honey. Maddie forgot about the people surrounding them, their long, drugging kisses blocking everything else out. Tim's hand tightened in her hair as their kisses heated up and became more demanding. Maddie was the one to pull away first, the need for air becoming too much to ignore. Tim grinned down at her flushed face, dropping light, lingering kisses on her now sensitive lips.

She slowly became aware of muffled giggles behind her, and groaned at the thought of the smug look on her cousin's face. So instead, she buried her head against Tim's shoulder, his musky scent wrapping itself around her. She felt his arm tighten around her back, while his free hand traced down her arm to lace his fingers with hers, and he felt his silent chuckle as she sighed contentedly.

She couldn't help but grin as she heard several of the group comment. "It's about damn time..."

.


	12. Chapter 12

CHAPTER TWELVE

Maddie sat in the curve of Tim's arm, a small smile playing at her mouth while she listened to the antics of those around her. Landry was well and truly 'merry'. It was going to be a struggle to get him into the car and then their house, later. He had pulled Sophie up from the couch and was presently trying to learn to waltz. He succeeded more in stepping on his cousin's toes and tripping over the legs of people sitting nearby. It wasn't until he almost twirled Sophie into the fire-drum that she finally gave up.

Maddie could feel Tim's body shaking with silent laughter and looked up to see her brother pull Matt up to dance, and they were arguing over who had to put their hand where, and who was going to lead. She watched, amused, as they stumbled around it a messy circle still fighting over the lead, and she couldn't help but laugh as Landry dipped Matt dramatically, and they both finished with a curtesy. She was shaking her head as her brother advanced on her, a wicked grin on his face, when the fairly silent night was shattered by the smashing of glass, followed by the rev of an engine and the squeal of tires.

They were on their feet in a second, sprinting after a stumbling Landry, who'd had a wobbly head start. As they rounded the corner, Maddie stopped short with a gasp as Tim, Smash and several of the boys on the team fought their way through the crowd towards their cars. Someone had thrown bricks through several of the boy's car windows. Angry murmurs rippled through the crowd, and they surged forward, eager to catch a glimpse of the damage. Maddie eventually made her way to Tim's side, frowning as she spotted the brick laying on the seat, surrounded by shattered glass.

"Oh my god," she breathed, as Tim wrenched the door open and grabbed the brick. He threw it angrily at the garden bed, narrowly missing Landry who jumped out of the way with a yelp. "Tim!" she cried, as her brother stared at the brick before looking back at Tim, dumbfounded.

"Sorry," he grumbled, shooting Landry an apologetic look before beginning to scoop the glass off the seat with an old rag.

"Be careful," she warned before making her way to Smash's car to survey the damage. Smash was standing furiously beside his open door, the brick in his hand, and Waverly was standing with her hands on his chest, trying to calm down.

Waverly looked up as Maddie approached, her face worried. "Who the hell would do something like this?" she exclaimed.

"I have no idea," Maddie replied, glancing around at the other cars that had been damaged. Four more cars had broken windows, their owners angry and frustrated. She fought her way through the crowd back to Tim, to find him leaning against the side of his truck, his arms folded across his chest, a scowl on his face. She stood in front of him, her hands on his hips, and he gave her a tight smile before looping his arms around her waist. "Just keep reminding yourself, Tim- it could have been worse. Someone could have been sitting in their car when a brick was lobbed through their window..."

"Yeah, you're right," he sighed, raking a hand through his hair. Their attention was suddenly drawn to a commotion across the road, and Maddie spun to see Derek's neighbours come rushing across the street. They had obviously gotten dressed in a hurry. His pants were buttoned but the fly still undone while his sweatshirt was on backwards, and she was pulling her robe tightly across her body, her fuzzy pink slippers poking out at the bottom, and the rollers in her hair covered by a scarf.

"Y'all ok?" he called, hurrying up the front path as Derek rushed to meet him halfway. "We saw the whole thing Derek, but we didn't catch their faces or the licence plate!"

"That's ok, Mr. Nelson, just tell me what you did see, ok?" Derek asked, laying a reassuring hand on the elder gentleman's shoulder.

"Well," he began, "Elsa was looking out the window, you know how she likes to keep an eye on you when your folks are away, and she saw a dark truck pull up, the windows all blacked out..."

Sophie glanced at Maddie, who bit her lip and returned her worried look, before turning back to the scene before them.

"...So she called me over to the window, and I got there just in time to see five or six of 'em jump out with something in their hands. And whatever it was, those boys threw them at some of the cars here..." he broke off, looking around at the damaged cars. "...then they jumped back in the truck and it high-tailed it outta here! I'm sorry I didn't get a better look, son, the eyesight's not what it used to be..."

"That's ok, sir, don't you worry about it," Derek reassured him before running a hand through his hair. "I'd better call the cops..."

"Oh, I already did that, dear," Mrs. Nelson interjected, "they should be here soon."

Derek smiled at her, the distant wail of a siren audible above the murmur of the crowd. Maddie pulled away from Tim, and moved to sit beside Landry on the hood of his car. It appeared that he had begun to sober up, in all the excitement.

"I hope it's not dad," he said ruefully, laying his head on her shoulder.

"You better try and sober up a little more, just in case," she replied, and Sophie bolted into the house to fetch him some coffee. Their father would not be pleased to find his boy inebriated.

Sophie returned soon after, a mug clasped between her hands. "It's not too hot. I made it warm, so you can drink it easier, and get the caffeine into your system quicker."

He grinned at his cousin, before taking a big gulp of the black liquid. "Ugh!" he exclaimed, his face scrunched in disgust, "what, no milk??"

"It's better this way!" Sophie replied, leaning back against Ryan. "Milk will only curdle in your stomach. You don't wanna throw up on your dad, if it is him that shows up, do ya?"

Landry shuddered at the thought and took another large gulp, forcing it down his throat. Maddie grinned at his effort and Tim wandered over, settling himself between her legs, his back against her chest. "Tryin' to sober up, Lando?" he drawled, chuckling as Landry threw him a dirty look.

Maddie laughed and slipped her arms under Tim's, draping them around his waist, while resting her chin on his shoulder. Even sitting on the hood of a car, she was shorter. It was ridiculous! He leaned against her, the back of his head resting against her shoulder, his eyes closed. A small grin graced his mouth as she pressed a kiss to his jaw, her fingers toying with the hem of his shirt. "What are the chances of your dad showing up?" he asked, his eyes still closed.

"Don't know," Maddie replied with a shrug, "I know he's on call this weekend, so I guess it's a possibility..."

"More than a possibility," Landry's now-clear voice rang out beside her, as the cruiser pulled up, her father's head recognisable in the passenger seat, and Tim straightened, moving off Maddie to stand beside her. The crowd had thinned dramatically since the announcement that the police were on their way, so their father spotted them easily out of the dozen people still milling around.

He rushed over, quickly taking stock of them, making sure they weren't hurt. "Kids! You ok?" he asked, looking from Tim all the way down the row to Ryan, only relaxing as he received an affirmative from each of them. "We were told something about kids throwing bricks through car windows. Your truck ok, Soph?" he asked, having already determined that Landry's car was fine.

"It's fine, Uncle Chad," she replied with a small smile, " Tim's, on the other hand..." she broke off as he whipped around to Tim's truck.

"Aw hell," he muttered, stalking over to the damaged truck followed closely by Tim. Sean, his partner was already taking statements from Smash, Derek and the other boys, so Chad moved towards the elderly couple. "Ron, Elsa," he greeted them, "you're the ones who called in? What happened?" He listened as took notes as Mr. Nelson repeated the earlier story, again expressing his apologies at not seeing faces or the numberplate.

Unfortunately, no-one from the party had been standing out the front when it happened, so there wasn't much they could go on. They assumed that it was a rival team, staking their claim, much like the Arnette Mead team the year before. Chad finished taking notes, and made his way back to them. Maddie cleared her throat, glancing at Sophie quickly, who nodded, before turning back to her father.

"Uh, dad? I don't know if this had anything to do with what happened here, but it seems like way too much of a coincidence..."

"What wrong, baby?" he asked, his full attention now on his daughter's worried face.

"Well, after the game Soph and I grabbed some burgers and went up to the point to eat, like we normally do." Her father nodded his face grim. "We were the only ones up there, and this truck came up and drove slowly passed us. We jumped in the car as it came back, and it just stopped in front of us... like whoever was inside, were watching us. It was pretty creepy. And... it's just that it was a dark truck, kind of dark red, almost brown, and it had tinted windows..."

Maddie's gaze flicked from her father's worried face, to Tim's angry one, standing just behind her dad, as Ryan's furious voice was directed at Sophie. "What?! Why the hell didn't you tell me?"

"I was going to," she began, placing a calming hand on his shoulder, "I was going to tell you on the way home, tonight."

"Baby, did you happen to get a look at the licence plate earlier," her dad asked, pulling his notebook from his pocket.

"No, daddy, I'm sorry," she frowned at her stupidity, " by the time we realised that there might be a problem, the truck had it's side to us, and when it took off, the dust made it impossible to see anything. I'm sorry..."

"It's ok, baby, it's fine. Don't you worry about it," he reassured her, "you kids just keep an eye out for similar trucks, and get their licence plate numbers, but what ever you do, do not go after them. I meant it," he added, looking pointedly at Ryan and Tim.

"Can I borrow your phone?" Tim asked, moving to stand beside Maddie again. "I wanna call Jonesy. See if I can drop my car off..."

"Sure," she replied. handing it over. "See if you can drop it off tonight, and we'll take you home." He nodded, before pushing off from the car, and moving to a quieter area. She turned back, her eyes locking with Landry's annoyed ones.

"You should have told me about that truck, Maddie. You should have told Tim, too..." he admonished, scratching his head.

"I was going to mention it to dad tomorrow morning. I just didn't think there was any kind of urgency to it. It's not the first time some creepy truck had been spotted skulking around the Point," she smiled, wrapping an arm around her brother's neck.

"Yeah, well..." he began, realising that he wouldn't win the argument, "If anything like that happens again, you make sure to tell us straight away, ok? And no more going up to the Point with Sophie on your own!"

"Yes, daddy," she laughed pulling him closer, and he couldn't help but laugh himself.

Tim walked towards them, calling out that his brother's friend could take the truck tonight and any others that had been damaged. They arranged for Tim, Smash and Waverly to join Landry, Maddie, Matt and Julie; Sophie and Ryan would bring Derek home, and the other boys would get a lift from someone's mom.

"Want me to drive?" Maddie offered, as Julie looked worried at the amount of people that would be in the car.

"Uh, yeah. Would you mind?" she asked gratefully.

Maddie grinned and shook her head, calling goodbye to her father. He waved them off, as they piled into the car and pulled out of the drive, Tim leading the way followed by Smash, and finally, Landry's car. It didn't take long to reach Jonesy's place, and after an exchange of keys and phone numbers, the two additional people joined the car. Smash opted for the back seat, squeezing in with Waverly, Julie and Matt, while Tim slid into the front beside Landry. Maddie had a hard time concentrating on the road, due to the muffled yells and uncontrollable giggles coming from the backseat, as they all tried to get comfortable.

She was laughing so hard she was crying by the time they dropped Waverly off, and she was glad for the opportunity to stop and wipe her eyes properly. Next up was Smash's house, followed by Julie then Matt, and soon it was just Tim, Landry and Maddie in the front seat. Landry's head was thrown back against the low seat, his light snoring breaking the silence of the car. Maddie grinned, sneaking a look at Tim, who was watching Landry with an amused look on his face. They pulled up out front of his house, and both slid out of the car, closing their doors as quietly as possible so as not to wake her slumbering brother.

Tim joined Maddie on the driver's, and leant against the car, pulling Maddie into the space between his legs. One arm snaked around her waist while the other twirled a strand of her hair around his finger, and she grinned as she draped her hands across his shoulders. "Eventful night, huh?" she asked, one hand tracing lightly along his jaw.

"I'll say," he agreed, before grinning and tightening his arm around her waist, effectively lifting her off the ground and against his body. The kiss was long and deep, and Maddie was more than a little breathless when Tim finally set her back down. "So I'll see you tomorrow morning?" he asked, grinning as she regarded him with a confused look. "At church..." he drawled.

Maddie couldn't help but gape at him, only collecting herself when he chuckled at her dumbfounded expression. "You're coming to church again?" she asked, and shook her head in wonder as he nodded. "Oh... uh...ok then... Um, do you want Landry and I to pick you up in the morning, on our way there?"

"That'd be great, actually. Hopefully my car will be ready tomorrow morning, and maybe you could drop me back off there..." he replied, raising his hand to brush her hair back from her face.

"Sure..no problem," she smiled up at him, still astounded that Tim Riggins was going to attend church two weeks in a row.

"Ok then...Goodnight, Mads," he murmured, his head swooping down to drop a soft kiss on her mouth.

"Night," she replied, climbing into the car as he held the door open for her.

Landry jolted awake as Tim closed the door behind Maddie. "Wha-? Where are we?" he mumbled, taking in his surroundings. "What'd I miss?"

"Tim's coming to church again tomorrow," Maddie replied with a grin, watching as Tim ambled up the path to his front door.

"Well, I'll be damned..." Landry said, the awe evident in his voice.

As Tim reached the front door, he turned around and gave them a wave, before closing the door behind him.

"What the hell have you done to the fullback?!" Landry exclaimed as the pulled away from the curb. And they both dissolved into giggles.

----------------------------

**_**Sorry about the long chapter guys... I just couldn't stop typing! xoxo_**


	13. Chapter 13

**_**Hello, beautiful people! Sorry about my absence, just had a few things happening recently. Hopefully it wont be so long between postings, again… xoxo**_**

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

The sun was peaking through the drapes of Landry's dark room as Maddie opened the door as quietly as she could. She couldn't help the small squeak from the hinges and the crumpled heap in the middle of the bed groaned and shifted in response. Maddie chuckled under her breath, searching for her brother's pale head among the pillows, but not finding it.

"Landry?" she called softly, grinning as the heap shifted again. "Laaaaandryyyy...." she sang a little louder, making her way over to the bottom of his bed. At his lack of response, Maddie's smile grew, and she began to climb her way up the bed, poking and prodding as she went.

"Mmnnfnfpnffff..." her brother groaned from where under the covers, as she hit a sensitive spot.

"Landry," she giggled, settling herself beside the heap, "you have to get up. Mom's cooking breakfast before we go to church." _poke... poke poke..._

"C'mon, Maddie," came the muffled reply as he jerked away from her annoying finger, "can't I just have another 10 minutes? Pleeeease?"

Maddie grinned as his hand snaked out, snatching hers and pinning it to the mattress. "No can do, pup. Mom's about to dish up and if you don't get up now, _she's_ going to be the one comin' in here. You really want that?"

There was a short pause before Landry began shuffling again, and soon his head poked out from under the covers, his eyes squinting against the small amount of light in the room. "Ugh! Can you turn the lights off? My head hurts..."

"I thought you sobered up last night?" Maddie exclaimed, moving up the bed so her head rested on the pillow beside her brother's.

"Try telling that to my head," he replied, "'cos it's poundin' like a jackhammer right now."

Maddie laughed, bringing her hand up to rub softly against his temple, his small sigh breaking the silence of the room. "Ohhhh, now that feels nice."

They lay like that for a few minutes before they heard their mother call from the kitchen. "Landry! Maddie! Get your skinny butts out here! Your breakfast is getting cold!"

"C'mon, champ. You'll probably feel better once you've had something to eat, anyway," Maddie reasoned, before climbing off the bed and making her way to the door. "I'll have some aspirin waiting on the table for you, ok?" She didn't wait for the response that probably wasn't coming, and made her way into the kitchen as her mom was setting their plates on the table.

"Where's your brother?" she asked frowning at the empty hallway.

"He's coming. I don't think she's feeling too well. I think he might be coming down with something..." she broke off, grabbing the aspirin and a glass of water before settling into her seat.

"Sure," her mom scoffed, huffing as Landry finally appeared. "Sit. Eat. Get rid of that hangover you no doubt have."

"What? I don't...what...what are you talking about?" he sputtered, shooting a dirty look at Maddie, who simply shrugged her shoulders, "I don't have a han-" he broke off, seeing the knowing look on the face that was now sitting across from him. "...How do you always know??" he asked, exasperated.

"I'm your mother, Landry, I know everything," she grinned, before tucking into her own breakfast.

Landry shook his head, sneaking a look at the amused expression on his sister's face, before launching in on his breakfast. Apparently it was only his head that was affected by last night's activities. His stomach was growling in anticipation.

"Oh, mom," Maddie said in between mouthfuls, "Tim Riggins is coming to church again today..."

"Is he now?" her mother asked, her chest puffing a little with satisfaction, "Isn't that wonderful news? I imagine he'll be here for lunch then..."

Maddie didn't have a chance to reply, as he mom got up from the table to start hunting through the pantry, trying to decide what she could cook for her new favourite guest. She shook her head, watching as her brother annihilated his breakfast. "Make sure you remember to stop, old man, the china doesn't taste as good as the bacon..."

"Old man?!," he scoffed, taking a large gulp of his juice, "I'm only three minutes older than you, old girl!"

"Hey, it all counts, baby!" she laughed, grabbing her plate, and Landry's, before heading into the kitchen. "Go have a shower. You smell. And we're picking Tim up this morning."

"Oooh la la. _Tiiiim_. We're picking Tim up, are we?" he taunted, ignoring the warning look from his slightly younger sister. "Did you call him last night? Whisper sweet nothings into the phone? Did you te- Hey!!" he broke off, dodging the sponge Maddie threw at his head, before stumbling to his room, laughing.

Maddie glared at his retreating back, bending down to pick the wet cloth up with a sigh, before turning back to face her mother. "What?" she asked, as her mom regarded her with that look. You know the one. "It's nothing, mom. We just kissed. No need to look at me like that. It's nothing..." She sighed as one of her mother's eyebrows rose. "Thou doth not protest too much, so don't even say it. I know you were going to..."

'I wasn't going to say anything, Madeline. I don't know where you got that idea from," she replied, turning towards the sink with a chuckle as Maddie's head whipped around the sound of her proper name. "It's ok. Even if it_ is_ nothing. I like him. He's a nice boy."

Well, I'm glad to hear that, _Tabitha_," Maddie replied, emphasising the name her mom despised. "I'll be sure to take that into consideration." This time it was her turn to duck as the wet cloth sailed towards her own head. She snatched it from the floor and threw it back into the sink, landing with a satisfying plop and spraying her mom with bubbles. Maddie grinned before making a hasty retreat, stopping to pound on her brother's door on her way through. "Hey! I hope you haven't gone back to sleep, old man! We have to leave in twenty!"

At that moment, Landry was sneaking up behind her, his hair still damp from his shower. Maddie shrieked as he grabbed her, hoisting her into the hair. "Oh no no, little one! I'm just about ready to go! Ten bucks says I make it into the car before you!"

Once Maddie was back on her feet, she whirled around to pummel her brother's shoulder. "Damn you, Landry! You almost gave me a heart attack. And no way will you beat me to the car!" And with that, she ran into her bedroom, grabbing the first sundress she could find and slipping her feet into flip flops. Thankfully her hair was presentable, and her sunglasses were already in her bag by the door. She snatched it up, and raced for the front door, just as Landry was coming out of his. "Mom we're going! We'll see you there!" she called as she opened the door.

She ran towards the car, laughing so hard her side was aching, and triumphantly grabbed the handle and pulled the door open. Only, nothing happened. She tried again, but the door wouldn't budge. Locked. "No fair!" she cried as her brother waltzed down the path towards his car, the keys dangling from his raised hands. "That doesn't count, you know! I still beat you here..."

"Oh no, pumpkin', I said_ in_ the car, not _to_ the car," he grinned, and unlocked his door with mock surprise on his face. "Well, will you look at that. I think I'm winning..." Maddie couldn't help but smile as he slid into the car before reaching across and unlocking her door.

"That does not count, Landry. You cheated." she scolded, trying to fight back her laugh.

"Details, Maddie, it's all about the details. And, uh, I do believe you own me ten bucks."

Maddie crossed her arm over her chest and tried to glare out the window. "Whatever. Just drive."

"As you wish!"

..


	14. Chapter 14

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN

The twins bickered the entire way to the Riggins' household and they still had hadn't settled the disagreement when Tim appeared at his door in response to Landry's horn.

"I did win, Maddie, admit it. I outsmarted you!" Landry exclaimed.

"No, you tricked me! You didn't outsmart me! You're just... trickier...than me!" Maddie laughed, sliding closer to her brother so Tim to slip in beside her.

"Trickier?! Is that even a word??" Landry laughed in response, before checking the street for traffic and pulling out.

Maddie took the chance to turn to a grinning Tim, smiling as he dropped a quick kiss on her lips. "Of course it's a word," she began again, "the dictionary people said so!"

"Oh, and since wh-" Landry started, before being cut off by Tim.

"Kids, relax, huh? How long have you been fighting?" he asked, slinging his arm along the back of the seat.

Maddie turned to him with a mock frown. "Not long. Why? What are you implying, Mr. Riggins??"

"Yeah, Riggins, what are you implying, hmmm??" Landry joined in.

"Hey, hey, don't start in on me, it's too early for me to be dealing with this..." Tim laughed, holding his hands up in surrender. "Feel free to let me out at the next corner and I'll see y'all later, huh?"

Landry laughed while Maddie turned her attention to the radio. Flicking through the stations, she had to smile at the Dolly Parton song that filled the car, and she began sing along with the music. _"A cross between a movie star, and hero in a book. Romeo comes struttin' in, and everybody looks. 'Cause he's just got that special thing, that everybody needs. And everybody wfffts mmmm hwfff affff bfffw affff mmmmm..."_ Maddie's singing was muffled as Tim's hand clamped over her mouth.

"It's definitely too early for Dolly, Mads," he sighed, nodding his thanks and removing his hand when she turned the radio down. "How's preparations for try-outs goin', Lando?" he asked, glancing over the top of Maddie's head.

"Yeah... well... you know... I'm trying and Matt's helping, but I don't know if it's going to be enough," Landry replied, pulling into the church parking lot.

"Well," Tim said, climbing out of the car, "I can always give you a hand, if you want. Run some plays with you..."

Maddie paused in the car, trying to fight the laughter bubbling in her throat, as she pictured Landry's ecstatic response.

"Really? Oh wow. Yeah, that'd be great! Thanks Tim!" he replied, almost tripping over his words.

Maddie managed to hide her grin, climbing out of the door that Tim was holding open for her. She couldn't hide her surprise, however, when he reached for her hand after closing the door behind her. She slid a glance his way, but his attention was still on her brother. Maddie was surprised. She hadn't really thought about where this was going, whatever this was, but she definitely hadn't expected Tim to be so open about it. Instead of dwelling on it, she just shook her head with a smile and waved to her mother as she spotted them in the parking lot.

"Hello Tim! I'm so glad you decided to come back!" she cried, engulfing his large form in a hug. "You're comin' back to ours for lunch, of course, and feel free to bring you brother too. He's such a lovely boy. Quite taken with my sweet little niece, I might add. They'll be there again, maybe you shou-"

"Mama, can we discuss this later? Everyone's going in..." Maddie interjected, much to Tim's relief.

Her mom turned to confirm that everyone was in fact, entering, before turning back. "Oh yes, yes. Well, it is wonderful to see you Tim!" she smiled before hurrying to catch up with her husband.

"Sorry about that," Maddie whispered, as they made their way into the church. "She gets a little excited with people she likes..."

"Wow," Tim replied with a grin, once again pulling her towards the last pew, "She must really like me then, huh?"

"You have no idea!" Landry laughed as he took his seat beside Maddie.

Their laughter died down as the preacher began, and as the sermon wore on, Maddie noticed how intently Tim was paying attention. _'I wonder what's going on in that head of his'_, she mused, as he leant forward slightly in his seat.

On another scorching day in Dillon, the church was stifling, and once again, Maddie fanned herself with her booklet, praying for a quick service. Her prayers were answered and as they were making their way towards the doors, Tim and Landry were called to the side by Coach Taylor. Maddie motioned that she would wait for them outside, before stepping out in to what little breeze was blowing. Taking a seat on the wall in the shade, she was lost in her thoughts when Buddy Garrity's booming voice startled her.

"Maddie, sweetheart, how're you doin' these days?" he asked, moping the sweat from his face as she rose to meet him.

"I'm great, Mr. Garrity, how are you?" she replied, dreading the spiel he would no doubt launch into about the car yard or the football team.

And sure enough, he didn't disappoint. It was a good fifteen minutes later, when having sensed Maddie's distress, Lyla came to her rescue. "Dad, Mr. Morgan is looking for you. Something about the new Chevi coming out?"

"What? Oh right. Thanks, baby. Maddie, it's been a pleasure talkin' to you, darlin'. Be sure to say hello to your folks for me," he said, preparing to leave.

"Will do, Mr. Garrity. You take care, now," she replied with a small wave, before turning to the brunette with a smile. "Thanks Lyla. Your dad sure likes talking about the team, doesn't he??"

"You have no idea!" Lyla laughed, "I'm just sorry I didn't get here sooner. You poor thing!"

Maddie couldn't help but grin. "No, no, it was fine. I'm always interested in learning the stats for the surrounding counties!"

They were still laughing as Landry and Tim finally escaped the church, Landry stripping off his tie in dramatic fashion. "Man, I thought he was gonna keep yappin' forever!" he exclaimed, to the Tim, not realising that the latter's attention was on the scene before him.

"Yeah, I didn't' think we'd ever get out of there," he replied absentmindedly. His focus was on the two girls standing in the shade of a nearby tree. Lyla could be saying anything to Maddie! Well, whatever she was saying, it couldn't have been too bad, for Maddie burst out laughing.

"What are you staring at?" Landry asked, following Tim's line of sight. "Oh. Uh...huh. Bad news for you, huh, man?" he grinned, before making a hasty escape from the larger boy's glare. "Miss Lyla Garrity, it's a pleasure to see you," he greeted, as he reached the two girls.

"And hello to you, Landry. It's nice to see you too," she smiled in response. Her smile faltered as Tim joined the group, coming to a halt just behind Maddie. "Oh, hello Tim. This is a surprise."

"Garrity," he replied with a small nod of his head.

"So," Maddie piped up, hoping to dispel the tension, "are you coming to the bonfire tonight, Lyla?" She could feel Tim tense slightly behind her.

"Yeah. I haven't been to one in awhile, so it should be fun!" Lyla replied, her eyes flicking to Tim, but not quick enough for Maddie to miss it.

"Oh, there's mom," Landry interjected, "Well, Ms. Garrity, it was lovely to see you. No doubt we'll bump into each other tonight."

"Definitely," she replied, he glance sliding to Tim again, as they left her with a wave.

"Well," Landry exclaimed once they were safely out of hearing distance, "that was suitably awkward."

Neither Tim nor Maddie responded, each lost in their own thoughts. Everyone knew about what had happened between Tim and Lyla while Jason was still in the hospital, and from the way Lyla had been looking at Tim, Maddie was worried that there were some unresolved feelings still there. And Tim's silence wasn't helping matters.

"Oh, there you are!" their mom exclaimed, fighting through the crowd of people. "We're heading back to the house now. The Miller's are coming to lunch this week, instead of dinner. Tim, you're coming aren't you?" He replied with a nod and a big smile. "Good. And invite your brother too. Angie will be there, and they were getting along so well last week!"

"Mom..." Maddie warned, before being interrupted by Tim.

"I'm sure he'll jump at the chance, Mrs. Clarke. Landry and Maddie are dropping me off to pick up my car, but I'll swing past home and grab Billy," he grinned.

"Good. Oh! And be sure you grab your swimmers too," she called out as they turned away from her.

"Will do," he replied as they made their way towards the car.

The ride to Jonesy's was relatively quiet, the silence only broken by Tim's directions to Landry. He turned to Maddie once they pulled up in front of the house. "You want to come with me? I wont be long..."

"Oh," she replied, snapping from her thoughts, "I think I should just head home. Mom's going to need a hand to prepare lunch. I'll see you soon, though?"

"Yeah," he sighed, planting a quick kiss on her mouth before climbing out of the car.

They waited while he spoke to his friend and once they received the thumbs-up, Landry pulled onto the road. "What's goin' on Maddie? You've been quiet since we said spoke to Lyla. You're not thinkin' too much about that, are you?"

She sighed, turning to face her brother. He almost always knew exactly what she was thinking. "You didn't see the way she looked at him. There's still something there..."

Her brother shot her a dirty look before turning his attention back to the road. "Are you kidding me? I may not have seen the way she looked at him, but I see the way he looks at you. Her feelings or not, you've got nothing to worry about, Maddie!"

"I don't know, Landry," she sighed again, turning her head to watch the passing scenery. He barely heard her soft, _"I'm no Lyla Garrity...."._

.


	15. Chapter 15

****CHAPTER FIFTEEN**

Maddie was elbow deep in potato salad when Tim and Billy arrived for lunch. She had to smile as she heard her mom's enthusiastic greeting, while she ushered them towards the back door. "My sister and her family haven't turned up yet, but Landry's outside firing up the barbecue with his dad, so feel fee to head out there too."

Billy nodded his thanks a disappeared through the door, while Tim spotted Maddie in the kitchen, and detoured to join her. "Hey," he greeted, dropping his keys on the bench.

"Hey," she replied, looking up with a small smile before turning her attention back to the salad. She could feel him staring at her down bent head, and fought to keep the smile on her face.

"What's wrong Mads?" he asked, his finger tilting her chin up, forcing her to meet his eyes. "You've been funny since we left church..."

She needed to break the contact, and turned twisted her face away from his hand. She couldn't summon a smile this time.

Tim sighed, having a pretty good idea of what was bothering her, and turned to lean against the bench beside her. "...Lyla?"

"Is there still something there Tim?" she burst out. "Because, I mean, I don't know what's goin' on between you and me, but if you've still got feelings for Lyla, then maybe we should stop. I don't want to be strung alo-" her tirade was cut short by Tim's lips crashing against hers and Maddie forgot what it was she was worried about.

As he pulled away, Tim had to grin at the dazed expression on the face before him. "I have no interest in Lyla Garrity any more, Mads. Yeah, we had somethin' a while back, but it's over. Done."

"I just don't want to get hurt, Tim," she replied softly, recovering from the kiss. "I like you, but I can't stand being lied to. If there's still something there, just be honest with me. I can take the truth. Just don't ever lie to me, ok?"

He grinned, knowing it had taken a lot for her to make that little confession. "I promise. I like you Mads, I really do. You don't need to worry about Lyla, or any other girl, ok? ...Ok? he asked again, at her lack of response.

"Ok," she replied, lifting her eyes to his just in time to see his head swoop. This time the kiss was gentle and sweet. A reassurance.

A small cough had them springing apart like guilty children, and Maddie groaned inwardly at the sight of her mother at the entrance of the kitchen.

"So, uh, I guess I'll be headin' outside now," Tim said, his face flushed with embarrassment. "Ma'am," her greeted her mother with a nod of the head before practically running out of the room.

As her mom took a pace beside her at the bench and began preparing another salad, the silence was killing Maddie. "Ok, mama, out with it. Let's have it."

"Let you have what sweetheart?" Tabby asked, her face the picture of innocence.

"Oh come on," Maddie laughed, "I know there's a witty remark rolling around in that mouth of yours, just itching to get out!"

Her mom grinned, and shrugged her shoulder. "You're old enough to make you own decisions, Maddie. I trust your judgement. And I like Tim, he's a nice boy. I just hope he knows that if he hurts you in anyway, you're father knows the right people to make a murder-charge go away..." (**)

Maddie laughed, planting a kiss on her mother's cheek, just as the doorbell rang. She ran to answer it, knowing her cousin would be on the other side. "Hey!" she cried, throwing the door open and pulling Sophie into a hug. "What?" she asked, looking around, "No Ry today?"

"Nope, he had to work," her cousin replied, making her way down the hall.

Maddie turned just in time to catch Adam as he sprang into her arms, and smothered his cheeks in kisses as Angie closed the door behind her. "Where are your folks?" she asked, letting go of Adam and watching him streak down the hall.

"They'll be here soon," Angie replied, struggling with the grocery bags in her hand.

Maddie grabbed a couple as they wandered slowly towards the kitchen. "Tim and Billy are here again," she said softly, grinning as her cousin's face brightened at the sound of Billy's name. "There's a really cute bikini in my top drawer and feel free to use my make-up, if you want..."

She dumped the bags on the kitchen bench and made her way out to the backyard, leaving Angie with her mom. Adam, Sophie, Landry and Tim were already in the pool, while Billy was keeping her dad company at the cooker. She couldn't really be bothered changing out of her sundress and into her bathing suit just yet, so she settled for sitting on the edge of the pool, her legs resting in the refreshing water.

Tim spotted her and made his way over to the side of the pool, laughing at her warning look as he mad to splash her. Instead he settled for standing between her legs, his elbows resting on the concrete on either side of her thighs. "So... did your mom have a fit?" he asked, his eyes squinting against the sun.

"Nope," Maddie replied with a grin, "she trust my judgement, and thinks your a nice boy."

They were still laughing as her mom and Angie stepped through the back door, followed by her Aunt Caroline and Uncle Stu. "Perfect timing!" her dad called, "Meat's done."

Maddie raced over to give her aunt and uncle a hug, as the rest of the 'youngans' made their way to the table. Lunch was such a loud and raucous affair, Maddie had to feel sorry for their neighbours. Adam monopolised Tim once again, while his mother was being monopolised by Billy. Maddie spotted Sophie watching them from the corner of her eye, and had to suppress her laugh. "Coming to the bonfire tonight Soph?" she asked, reaching for a piece of chicken.

"You betcha," she replied, wiping her mouth with a napkin. "Would you mind picking me up on the way through? Ryan's going to swing past after work and he'll take me home."

Maddie nodded, her mouth full of salad. "You need a lift, Tim?" Landry piped up from beside her.

"Nah, I'm good," he replied, welcoming the break from Adam's incessant chatter. "I'm picking Street up, so we'll just meet you there..."

The rest of the afternoon was spent laughing and eating, before everyone ended up in the pool, including her parents. Maddie was pleased to see that Angie had taken her advise and changed into her little yellow bikini, a move that had not been lost on Billy. And she was even happier later that afternoon when Angie pulled her to the side and confided that Billy would be joining she and Adam for pizza and a movie that night. It was great to see Angie so excited about a guy again.

It was much later when the Miller's finally said their goodbyes, Sophie calling out to remind Maddie to pick her up. Maddie stood on the porch with Tim, waiting for BIlly to say his goodbyes to her parents. Tim was leaning against the rail and Maddie was standing between his legs, her back against his chest. She couldn't help the sigh the escaped from her lips, or the look of contentment that settled on her face.

Tim grinned, hearing her sigh, and leant his head towards hers. "I forgot to tell you how good you looked this morning..."

Maddie shuddered at the feel of his breath against her ear and smiled. "Funny, I was thinking the same this about you," she chuckled, as his eyebrows rose. "No really, I have to say, I'm a big fan of that black shirt!"

Tim laughed, shaking his head, as Billy opened the front door, followed by Landry. They straightened and Tim dropped a quick kiss on her lips while the other two were preoccupied. "So I'll see you later?" he asked, making his way down the steps, as Billy paused to drop a kiss on her cheek.

"You will," she replied before calling out, "See ya Billy. You have a good night, now..." and laughed at his shocked expression as he climbed into the truck beside Tim.

"What was that about?" Landry asked quietly from her left.

They both waved as Tim pulled away from the curb with honk. "Billy's have dinner with Angie and Adam tonight," she sang, as they made their way towards the front door.

"Wow," he replied, holding the door open for her, "Looks like love it in the air for everyone, now, isn't it?" he laughed as he dodged his sisters hands.

"Don't you start, old man!" she laughed as he bumped into the wall.

Landry's singing could be heard in the street as he slowly closed the front door. "Riggins and Maddie, sittin' in a tree... _owww!!"_

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**(**) **Ironic, considering what would happen with Landry and the rapist…

Sorry if this seems like a bit of a 'filler'...


End file.
